Spiced California Bocconcini And Tomatoes Recipes

FRIED BOCCONCINI WITH SPICY TOMATO SAUCE

Steps:

• In a saucepan over medium heat, warm the olive oil. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes and cook, stirring, until the garlic is soft but not browned, about 1 minute. Add the tomatoes and their juices and simmer until the sauce is thickened, about 6 minutes. Season with salt and black pepper. Set aside.
• Preheat an oven to 200°F.
• Drain the cheese from its liquid. Place the cheese on a paper towel-lined baking sheet and pat dry.
• In a bowl, whisk together the eggs and milk. Put the egg mixture, flour and bread crumbs in separate wide, shallow bowls.
• Roll the cheese in the flour, dip into the egg mixture and coat with the bread crumbs, shaking off the excess after each step. Then bread each piece of cheese again.
• In a large, deep sauté pan over medium-high heat, pour in olive oil to a depth of 3 inches and heat to 350°F on a deep-frying thermometer. Working in batches, fry the cheese until golden, about 2 minutes. (Or follow the directions of your deep fryer.) Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate and season the fried cheese with salt and black pepper. Place the cheese on a wire rack set over a baking sheet and keep warm in the oven while frying the remaining cheese.
• Let the fried cheese cool for at least 7 minutes before serving. Serve with the warm tomato sauce for dipping.

TOMATO AND BOCCONCINI SALAD

Steps:

• Slice the tomatoes into twelve 1/2-inch slices.
• Slice the bocconcini into twenty-four 1/2-inch slices.
• Arrange the tomato slices on a serving plate, alternating them with 2 slices of bocconcini. Place the basil leaves between the bocconcini slices.
• Drizzle with the olive oil. Sprinkle with basil and season with salt and lots of fresh ground black pepper.

DEEP-FRIED BOCCONCINI WITH SPICY TOMATO AND GARLIC CHUTNEY

Steps:

• For the bocconcini: Drain the bocconcini and pat dry with paper towels. Put on a paper towel-lined plate and allow to dry in the refrigerator for 2 hours. Put the flour in a medium bowl and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Put the eggs in a second medium bowl and the bread crumbs in a third medium bowl. Coat the bocconcini in flour and then dip into the eggs. Roll the bocconcini in the bread crumbs until coated. Dip the coated bocconcini, again, in the eggs and then coat with bread crumbs. Freeze the breaded bocconcini for 20 minutes.
• For the chutney: In a blender, combine the garlic, ginger, 1/4 teaspoon salt, vinegar, sugar, olive oil, cumin and pepper. Blend until smooth. Pour into a medium, heavy-bottomed saucepan and add the tomatoes. Bring the mixture to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until most of the liquid has evaporated and the mixture is thick, about 45 to 55 minutes. Using the back of a wooden spoon, gently break up the tomatoes as they begin to soften during cooking. Season with salt, to taste. Let the chutney cool to room temperature, about 35 minutes. Place in a serving bowl.
• In a large heavy-bottomed saucepan, pour in enough oil to fill the pan about a third of the way. Heat over medium heat until a deep-frying thermometer inserted in the oil reaches 375 degrees F. (If you don't have a thermometer a cube of bread will brown in about 1 to 2 minutes.) In batches, fry the bocconcini until golden brown, about 15 to 20 seconds. Drain on paper towels.
• Arrange the bocconcini on a platter and serve the chutney alongside as an accompaniment.

TOMATO AND MARINATED BABY BOCCONCINI APPETIZERS

Steps:

• Combine the oil, vinegar and basil in a medium bowl. Add the cheese and toss to coat in the marinade. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
• Drain cheese and discard the marinade.
• Wrap each cheese in a piece of rocket.(The larger rocket leaves work best ). Place on top of a tomato half and spear with a toothpick.