Courgette Pesto with Burrata and Fresh Tomato
Master cheese-maker Massimilliano De Caro is celebrating NZ cheese month with his award winning milky Burrata. Here's his simple recipe to enjoy the cream-filled parcel of fresh mozzarella...
Summer dining is just around the corner and this simple starter that showcases the colours of Italy is a lovely way to serve burrata at a barbecue or as an entrée for a dinner party. The pesto has a more subtle flavour than the standard one made with basil which won’t overwhelm the delicate milky-ness of the burrata.
Ingredients
1 large courgette
100 grams pine nuts
Small handful basil leaves
2-3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
50 grams Parmigiano, grated
Sea salt to taste
To serve:
5 Angel cherry tomatoes, halved
Pizza bread or crusty loaf, sliced
Serves: 4
Wash the courgette and chop off the ends. Grate coarsely and place in a sieve or colander. Place the colander with the grated zucchini over a bowl. Salt to remove the liquid and leave to stand for 10 minutes. Into the bowl of a blender place the pine nuts, basil, olive oil and Parmigiano. Pulse to blend and season to taste. Add the grated, drained zucchini to the blender with another lug of olive oil. Mix well. Adjust seasoning as required.
To serve: Place the burrata on top of some grilled zucchini (sliced lengthways) on a platter. Add a generous dollop of the pesto. Decorate with the halved tomatoes. Sprinkle with pine nuts, a pinch of fresh oregano (optional) and drizzle with some of the pesto oil. Serve pizza bread alongside.
You can catch Massimilliano De Caro, Il Casaro's master cheese-maker, at two special events held at Auckland's Non Solo Pizza in Parnell on the 7th and 28th of October. He will be demonstrating how he hand forms his burrata, which Non Solo Pizza owner Antonio Crisci will then serve in a unique and beautiful dish.
You can also visit one of the places where Il Casaro's fresh cheeses are sold including the markets at Grey Lynn, Parnell, St Heliers and Oratia. Visit www.ilcasaro.co.nz for more information.
Related Content
latest issue:
Issue #114
Autumn has arrived, and with it, the latest issue of dish, jam-packed with recipes that will have you fizzing to get in the kitchen! With a long Easter lunch featuring perfectly pink, blushing roast leg of lamb and wildly decadent baked mashed potatoes with caramelised onions, to simply scrumptious chocolate treats and sensational seasonal baking this issue has you covered - we reckon the Hot Cross Buns are our best yet! Salads make way for soothing soups, pies, puddings and our cover star beef cheek ragù with spaghetti – a must-make dinner for family and friends. With over 60 recipes in our latest issue there’s plenty of inspiration to keep you busy – and well-fed! Don’t forget to share your dish dishes with our Facebook community.