Burrata....

This post is a duplicate, from my new blog http://mauricesvalumart.blogspot.ca/...

What is burrata, you might ask???? It's a soft cheese made of mozarella and cream. Basically, there is an outer shell (or bag) that is filled with cream and mozarella pieces, creating a very soft interior. "Burrata" means buttered in Italian, and unsurprisingly it therefore has a rich, buttery flavour (thanks to the cream!). It should be served at room temperature (like most soft cheeses), or at least not cold right from the fridge, unless you can't stop yourself.



I had the pleasure last spring of visiting Italy with a friend, where we first met burrata at a quaint restaurant called Cucina da Enzo (I wrote about this experience in a personal blog here....warning..it's a pretty long post, but the part about burrata is pretty close to the begining :). As an imported cheese, it is definitely on the expensive side, but if you really value a good dining experience and like to treat yourself once in awhile, then THIS is the cheese for such an indulgence.... Barb (from the same Italy blog) found burrata in the St. Lawrence Market in the fall and brought some back to share...so we have had it a few different ways, but the best was the way I first had it... a few simple fresh high-quality ingredients make this an appetizer to share and remember. This is a high-end version of Caprese salad, which uses fresh buffalo mozarella or bocconcini, but burrata is the Emperor King of Mozarella. I know I'm playing it up a lot, but it is really, REALLY good.

To serve a la Cucina da Enzo

1-2 Roma tomatoes, sliced lengthwise
A few tablespoons of the best olive oil you can afford
A few fresh basil leaves, torn into large pieces
a light sprinkling of sea salt (I don't remember this, I'm just adding it because I think it should be there)
1 burrata

The burrata was served whole, so we were kind of unsure what to do, but it didn't take long to just dig in and we savoured every bite..... however if you want to serve it as a starter here is what I would do. (You could use it for up to eight guests (although four to six is probably better...you just get more of the burrata that way). And despite the (I'm guessing, don't want to know) high fat content, the olive oil is really the perfect accompaniement for this cheese.

*Slice the burrata in half (with the tied end as your guide to the middle), then slice this half in half (for four people...cut these in half for eight servings), or cut the halves into thirds (for six people).... (this is starting to sound like too much math, so just get some wine, and cut it up however you want. It doesn't have to look pretty, it just has to taste good...which it will!!)... Although it IS possible to go with eight servings, six would be the maximum, with four being optimal..... (I think...I had a quarter and it was lots as a starter...)

Arrange a few slices of tomato on individual plates, drizzle generously with olive oil, place the slice of burrata in the center and then flutter a few pieces of shredded basil over it all, and perhaps a little sea salt, if desired. (I love basil, there really can't be too much for me....I also love salt, but even I know you can have too much....)

Alternatively, you could slice a baguette into rounds, spread some burrata on it, top with tomato slices, drizzle with olive oil, and sprinkle with fresh salt. (and even pepper)...

I also had burrata served in slices on top of a spring mix salad, and prosciutto on the side. This is a nice way to stretch the burrata as well (and hey, it's the holidays, throw your calorie counter out the window for this one. Live on water and celery the next day!)

I used burrata on salad at home with a balsamic vinaigrette too (as well as tomato and fresh basil), and it was also very good....

So there you have a few ways to eat burrata......... buon appetito!!!