Creamy burrata with pomegranate

I came across Burrata cheese for the first time at a cookery masterclass run by Finish dishwasher tablets with chef Florence Knight.

The Leiths-trained head chef at Soho restaurant Polpetto might have been beautiful and tiny, but she was a steely sort so there was no messing around and any corner cutting like using a garlic press was severely frowned upon. *I think I may have openly guffawed when she came out with that*

If you’re interested you can read more about what we got up to with Florence over on Laura’s blog How To Cook Good Food… but it was a really fun experience where not only did we get to cook and eat scrummy Italian nosh and talk about how great Finish dishwasher tablets are… I also got to meet my great friend Sian of Fishfingers For Tea in the flesh for the first time, and we both fell for Burrata cheese in a BIG way!

 

So with love of a new ingredient in my heart, I couldn’t wait to get my hands on the stuff. This beautiful dish is very simple, perfect as a dinner party starter or perhaps even a quick lunch with a special touch. I served it up with pomegranate seeds and a liberal drizzle of olive oil, sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper.

When you’re drizzling olive oil on a dish like this you want it to be extra virgin so you get the lovely flavours – I was testing out ASK Italian’s new season olive oil and it was more than up to the task. It’s £8 a bottle if you fancy trying it yourself.

Be sure to have some slices of buttered sourdough on the side to mop up the squishy creamy cheese and olive oil – to die for.

Burrata facts

It’s an artisanal cheese from Southern Italy, made from the scraps of mozzarella left over during production combined with cream. You’re presented with a squishy globe of cheese that feels like a water bomb when you hold it. Once you cut in, creamy innards ooze out in a rather hedonistic manner. It’s best to rip it into pieces to get a full appreciation of the gorgeous stringy strands. It tastes really buttery and is very easy to get hooked on it. Be warned.

Where can I get hold of it?

I found it in tubs at Waitrose, but i’m sure specialist Italian delis would have  it too should you be lucky enough to live near one!

Burrata recipes

I think the simpler the better, but here are a few ideas from around the web for inspiration…

Diana Henry’s Squash and Augerbine Caponata with Burrata

Skinny Skoops’s Burrata with garden and wild berries, honey, balsamic and fresh ground pepper

Jamie Oliver’s Burrato, blood orange and pistachio

Disclosure: I was paid a fee to attend the Florence Knight cookery masterclass where we were all interviewed  on camera about Finish dishwasher tablets. Thanks to Ask Italian for sending me a bottle of their new season extra virgin olive oil to try.