Late August. Sunny terrace and a glass of chilled Chardonnay. The sky is beautifully bright and smiling but a gentle breeze reminds me of the changing season. Autumn is coming. Gloriously golden brown and gathering me home, in the warm, seated in my red arm-chair next to window, with a floral cup of tea and a book close at hand. Autumn will be time for soups and roasted vegetables, but not yet, not yet… I look into the sun drinking its Vitamin D and enjoying the moment, getting ready for saying good-bye to the summer and what a better way of doing that then celebrating with a this light and sumptuously delicious buffalo mozzarella salad.
Ingredients
- 120g Buffalo Mozzarella (tennis ball size)
- Red & green curl lettuce leaves
- 2-3 cheery tomattoes
- 2-3 round slices of cucumber
- 1 cup dried bread crumbs
- 1 Egg (beaten)
- 1 cup of plain flour
- 200 ml frying oil
- Handful of pine nuts (roasted)
- 2 tbsp of aged Balsamic Vinegar
- 200g finely-grated Parmesan cheese
- 70g semolina flour
- 70g plain flour
Method
1. For the Parmesan Crisps: Pre-heat the oven to 200C. Line a backing trey with baking parchment. Mix together the finely-grated Parmesan Cheese and the semolina and the flour. Spread evenly onto the backing tray and bake for 5-10 min until golden brown. Take out of the oven and let them cool completely.
2. For the Fried Buffalo Mozzarella: Heat the frying oil in a heavy saucepan. Beat the egg. Spread the dried bread crumbs into a soup plate. Spread the plain flour into another soup plate. Open the mozzarella package and get rid of the extra liquid. Roll the buffalo mozzarella ball first into the flour, making sure that it is well covered by all sides, then dip it into the beaten egg liquid, rolling it gently on all sides and lastly roll the ball into the plate with the dried bread crumbs. Fry for 2-3 minute on each side until the whole ball is golden brown. Take out of the frying pan and set aside to cool.
3. For the salad: Arrange in a free style the lettuce salad leaves, the cucumber slices and the cherry tomatoes on a flat salad dish. Cut the fried buffalo mozzarella in half and arrange on the salad plate. Cut the parmesan crisps into triangles and place two of them next to the fried mozzarella. Sprinkle over roasted pine nuts and generously drizzle over with a good quality aged balsamic vinegar.
