MARINATED MOZZARELLA WITH WALNUT AND OLIVE SAUCE AND PICKLED SHALLOTS

Name: MARINATED MOZZARELLA WITH WALNUT AND OLIVE SAUCE AND PICKLED SHALLOTS
Cuisine: European, Mediterranean, Italian
Ingredients: 125g–150g (4½oz–5oz) buffalo mozzarella or fior di latte; 2 tbsp good-quality crème fraîche (none of the half-fat malarky!); 2 strips of pared lemon zest, about 1cm (½ inch) wide; 1 oregano or marjoram sprig, leaves picked; 2 tbsp grated Parmesan; ½ red chilli, deseeded and finely chopped; 2 pieces of focaccia, cut in half horizontally; sea salt and freshly ground pepper; 5 banana shallots, whole and skin on; 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil; 1 tbsp Moscatel vinegar (or any white vinegar with a pinch of sugar added); 30g (1oz) walnuts (fresh or dried); 150g (5oz) pitted olives (mix of black and green); large handful flat-leaf parsley leaves; Very large handful mint leaves; ½ garlic clove, finely chopped; ¼ red onion, finely diced; 1 tbsp capers, finely chopped; 10 big glugs (or enough to make the sauce loose) extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra (optional) to; serve; 4 tsp Moscatel vinegar (or any white vinegar with a pinch of sugar added); 1 tbsp lemon juice; pinch of sugar, to taste

5 steps

Walnut and olive make a lovely combination and work particularly well alongside the sweetness of the shallots and creaminess from the mozzarella. Smothering fior di latte (mozzarella made from cow’s milk) with crème fraîche makes a brilliant budget burratta that, in my humble opinion, beats the majority of UK-bought ones. The pickled shallots and walnut and olive sauce make more than you need here, but the shallots will keep for up to a week in the fridge, and the sauce for a few days. Serves 2

Updated at: Thu, 17 Aug 2023 02:30:12 GMT

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Ingredients

4 servings

Instructions

Step 1

Drain the mozzarella and break it into chunks (not too small) then put all the other ingredients into a bowl or dish and season. Add the mozzarella, give it a good mix and set aside to marinate for at least 4 hours.

Step 2

Heat the oven to 200°C/180°C fan/400°F. Place the shallots on a baking tray and roast for 20 minutes. They are ready when they are not completely soft when you press down on them, but the inside starts to poke out and squidge out of the end. Leave to cool for 15 minutes then slide them out of the skins by pushing down on one end like you would the end of a toothpaste when you’ve run out. Roughly chop the insides, then add the oil and vinegar and season to your liking. These will keep for a week in the fridge, provided they are submerged in the oil.

Step 3

For the sauce, roughly chop the walnuts and olives into small chunks, and place in a bowl. Grab the herbs and twist them around and around so that they are all clumped, then hold them tight with your non-chopping hand.

Step 4

Using a very sharp knife, slowly and carefully cut from the end down towards your fingertips so that the herbs get chopped in thin strips (chiffonade). Add to the walnuts and olives. Add the garlic, onion, capers, oil, vinegar and lemon juice, adding sugar and seasoning to your liking. It should be saucy and taste herby and punchy.

Step 5

We like this sandwich as a toastie, in focaccia, or all the ingredients simply piled onto one toasted side. Toast the focaccia halves in a hot frying pan (skillet) on the inside until just browned. Load up your sandwich with the mozzarella, then layer on the pickled shallots and finish with the walnut and olive sauce. You can drizzle over some good-quality olive oil at the end, if you like.