Drop by my website every week to see an unusual, out of the ordinary, yet easy to find ingredient. I'll teach you about it, give you a quick flavor profile, and of course include several recipes and new ideas on how to cook with it!
I absolutely adore cheese! Hands down, my all time favorite cheese is Burrata which is why this week's What Do You Do with That ingredient is the one and only! Burrata is a staple in my kitchen year-round, but I especially love it in the spring. When the sun is a shinin' and breeze is a blowin,' all I want to do is spread a picnic blanket out and top it with a cheese and wine spread! While Burrata is the perfect cheese for a cheese plate, there's so much more you can do with this fantastic ingredient. I've had some people tell me they've never heard of Burrata and others tell me that they know what it is but they have no idea what to do with it, so here's a break down.
Recipes:
Fig, Burrata, and Proscuitto Pizza
Fun Facts:
Burrata is an Italian mozzarella cheese filled with leftover mozzarella curds and cream. The outer layer is solid, just like mozzarella, but when you cut into it, the curds and cream ooze out.
My favorite way to describe Burrata is like having the perfect mix between mozzarella and ricotta - the combo of soft, creamy, and stretchy cheese is just out of this world!
Burrata is an Italian staple and can be found all over Italy. It's rare to not see it listed on a menu there.
Burrata actually means "buttery" in Italian.
It can be enjoyed both warm and cold, and it's equally delicious both ways.
It used to be uncommon in US grocery stores but you can now find it at just about any Fresh Market, Whole Foods, or specialty grocery store.
Flavor Profile:
Creamy
Soft, yet rich
Buttery
Melt in your mouth
What else to do with it:
Like I said, it's a heavenly cloud on a cheese plate. While it's perfect all by its lonesome or surrounded by other cheeses, I love pairing it with dates and figs, fruit jams, sweeted-roasted nuts, and flavored salts like smoked salt, balsamic salt, lemon salt, or lavender salt. It's always delicious with a drizzle of olive oil over the top and sometimes I add a little balsamic vinegar. Serve it with Parmesan crisps, toasted bread, grilled baguette, or delicate crackers.
Now that I'm past my overly in-depth Burrata cheese board description, I'll tell you a ton of other ways to use the best cheese in the world. If you love a Caprese salad, try it in place of mozzarella, and you'll never go back. It's absolutely delicious on pizza - in Italy I had a Truffle Burrata Pizza and I may have died for a minute. Speaking of truffles, it's delicious paired with them in any dish. I love it over the top of any pasta for added creaminess and baked into a lasagna or roasted pasta dish. It's great atop salads, on sandwiches or burgers (just think about biting into it), and with grilled or roasted veggies. Think about it like this: if you would put a poached egg on it, you can put Burrata on it!