Caprese Mushroom Caps

You can find stuffed mushrooms on so many restaurant appetizer menus these days.  They are usually filled with breadcrumbs and some unidentifiable bits of food.  This version of stuffed mushrooms is much fresher.  It takes the ingredients of a Caprese salad and layers them on top of a portabella mushroom cap.  Perfect main dish for a meatless meal.  If you’d like to make smaller portions, use the baby bella mushrooms and layer one slice of tomato, one basil leaf, and one slice of mozzarella on top.

Ingredients

4 portabella mushrooms

2 Roma tomatoes

Fresh mozzarella cheese log

Fresh basil leaves

2 T olive oil

2 T balsamic vinegar

Salt and pepper, to taste

Preheat oven to 400ºF.  Remove stems from mushrooms and wipe cap with paper towel to remove any dirt.  Rub both sides of the mushrooms with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Place on a baking sheet stem side up and drizzle with balsamic vinegar.  Roast 10 minutes; turn mushrooms over and roast an additional 10 minutes.  Remove from oven and turn stem side up again.

Slice tomatoes and mozzarella into ¼” rounds.  Place 3 tomato slices on each mushroom, then layer with 2 leaves of basil, and end with 3 slices of mozzarella on top.  Sprinkle with additional salt and pepper. 

Return mushrooms to oven and bake until cheese melts and begins to brown.