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Searching for An Italian Terrace of My Own
Date: Aug. 1st 2006
Category: Flavour of the Month, Antipasti, Dairy
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Wanted: A large Italian terrace graced with copious amounts of flowers and a breathtaking view. The terrace should feature an enormous table with seating for all my blogger friends. An open bar stocked with chilled Prosecco and San Pellegrino is a must. Please contact Cream Puff if you are in possession of such a terrace and are willing to sell. Cream Puff will pay any price!
An Italian terrace of my very own … now there’s a dream I’d love to see come true! While it may be awhile yet before I actually have a real Italian terrace of my own, it is possible to imagine that I have one right now, and you too, with Valentina Harris’ Recipes From an Italian Terrace.
Before I bought this cookbook, I was unfamiliar with Valentina Harris. It turns out she’s a noted cookbook author (she’s authored more than 30 cookbooks!) and she runs her own cooking school in Tuscany. So you can drop everything and run right over there to enjoy Valentina’s expertise in the area of Italian food and wine. Her school is called Villa Valentina, but I warn you now, visiting her website will make you cry with longing for the hills of Tuscany. Don’t say I didn’t warn you!
So what type of cookbook is Recipes From an Italian Terrace? Well, it’s the kind of cookbook that makes you happy it’s August. It’s the kind of cookbook that makes you look at the simple, fresh ingredients around you and dream of all the wonderful possibilities. It’s the kind of cookbook that inspires and makes you hungry. It’s the kind of cookbook that makes you want to call a contractor and start plans on building a terrace. It’s that kind of cookbook.
Artichoke Pâté, Yellow Bell Pepper Boats, Frittata with Mozzarella, Rice-Filled Baked Tomatoes, Warm Seafood Salad, Stuffed Swordfish Rolls, Florentine Steak, Profiteroles with Ice Cream, Raspberry Semifreddo … I could go on and on and on. This cookbook takes all of the glorious summer foods and offers ideas on how to prepare them simply in order to maximize their flavour.
I’ve never made anything from this book so I knew that it would be a great choice for the Cream Puffs in Venice Flavour of the Month for August 2006. And now that July has passed, hopefully the steamy weather will go with it. Toronto reached a high of 36 degrees Celsius today, but it actually felt more like 48 degrees Celsius!In this kind of weather, the oven becomes the enemy.
But this is exactly where Valentina Harris steps in with her recipe for Mozzarella Farcita (Stuffed Mozzarella). Her recipe uses the most beautiful buffalo mozzarella as a starting point. While buffalo mozzarella was once nearly impossible to find, it is now widely available. Any reputable cheese counter should offer it so search it out and ask for it. Buffalo mozzarella comes in balls and is usually packaged in liquid. It is soft and delicate with an incredible milky sweet flavour. This cheese should be consumed quickly, while it’s fresh.
Harris’ recipe involves splitting the mozzarella into layers and then topping each layer with a filling of celery and smoked fish. As delightful as that sounds, I opted for something a bit different. I combined the first fresh tomatoes from our garden, shallot and basil leaves, along with Italian sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper. I topped each layer with whole basil leaves and then piled on some of the tomato filling. A drizzle of olive oil, some more sea salt, a few cherry tomatoes and some Mediterranean olives to finish.
It couldn’t have been simpler, more refreshing or more delicious! So please join me all this month as we explore the glorious summer food of Recipes From an Italian Terrace.
And if you know of any abandoned Italian terraces requiring occupants to fill and enjoy it … I am most definitely interested!
Ciao!
Mozzarella Farcita (Stuffed Mozzarella)
Adapted from Recipes From an Italian Terrace by Valentina Harris.
- 4 buffalo mozzarella (weighing 8 or 9 ounces each), drained of any liquid and sliced into three layers
- 2 large or 4 small, ripe tomatoes
- 12 whole basil leaves
- 1 shallot, sliced finely
- extra virgin olive oil
- sea salt
- freshly cracked black pepper
- cherry tomatoes and black olives to garnish
- Roughly chop your tomatoes so that you have small chunks of ripe tomato. Keep the tomato juices and put both the tomatoes and juice in a bowl. Add the shallot and drizzle with 2 or 3 tablespoons of olive oil. Add 1/2 a teaspoon of sea salt and a 1/4 teaspoon of cracked black pepper. Mix well and set aside for 30 minutes for the flavours to develop.
- On a serving plate, place the first layer of each ball of mozzarella.
- Top with a basil leaf and then sprinkle on some salt and pepper.
- Put a spoonful or two of the tomato mixture on the basil leaf and top with the second layer of mozzarella.
- Top each mozzarella layer with another basil leaf and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
- Put a spoonful or two of the tomato mixture on each basil leaf and top with the final layer.
- Top each mozzarella with a basil leave as garnish. Drizzle with olive oil and with any reserved tomato juices. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and garnish the plate with cherry tomatoes and olives.
- Serve immediately.
- Enjoy!
Note: This recipe serves 4. If you cannot find buffalo mozzarella, you can use whole milk mozzarella in its place.
Technorati tags: buffalo mozzarella, mozzarella, tomatoes, basil, tuscany, italy
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08/1/06 at 8:06 pm
ooh this looks so good, you have done it again
08/1/06 at 8:33 pm
Mmmmm. I lurve buffalo mozzarella.
And, another lovely photo, as usual.
08/1/06 at 8:55 pm
Fresh mozzarella has to be one of the most perfect foods. This looks so filling, yet refreshing.
08/1/06 at 9:18 pm
Ohh I am going to have to check out this book. I just made basil procssuito wraped chicken breast. I am in a Italian Terrace mood !!! Clarice
08/1/06 at 9:43 pm
Fortunately, I’ll be near a deli tomorrow that sells wonderful buffalo mozzarella. So, you can bet I will be buying some!
08/1/06 at 9:51 pm
As usual Ivonne, you’ve created an edible work of art!! Bravo!
08/1/06 at 9:54 pm
It’s too pretty to eat…which is good since I am allergic to raw tomatoes.
08/1/06 at 9:59 pm
Mmmmm. I love fresh mozzarella. This I’ll try.
08/1/06 at 10:18 pm
Yep, this could make me happy! I have to admit, I’m a cheeseaholic! Great choice for August - al fresco meals!
08/1/06 at 11:26 pm
Oh, yay, I’m so excited! I’ve been contemplating buying this book for some time now, and now I’ll get to see what lovely recipes you make from it. This first one sounds like simplicity in all its glory; I can’t wait to read about the rest!
Happy August!
08/2/06 at 12:07 am
If you find that terrace let me know! I’ll join you ;)!
I LOVE this idea of stuffed mozzarella - there are so many possibilities….
08/2/06 at 12:17 am
Please let me know when you find your Italian terrace. And if you come across any others in the process too, I wouldn’t mind having one of those for myself! I’d love to eat your mozzarella farcita while sitting on it. Heaven!
08/2/06 at 2:21 am
I do not have a terrace (that is a dream for many Italians too) but I have a tiny balcony (where I grow herbs): if you like I can sublet it to you for the last half of august!
Good luck for your search: you can always try to corrupt the owner with this stuffed mozzarella!
08/2/06 at 4:25 am
great blog. I added your blog as a link on mine. I hope you dun mind. I’m a foodie blogger from Singapore.
08/2/06 at 6:15 am
Simply stunning! I imagine that if you could create a larger version of this, it’d make a stunning table centrepiece for a dinner party (deliciously edible too!)
08/2/06 at 6:53 am
Ivonne, this looks wonderful. I think it is time for me to tell you about my friend Greybeard’s site Love Venice at http://www.lovevenice.blogspot.com/. If you cant be there yourself, this is the next best thing. I hope you enjoy.
08/2/06 at 7:13 am
This thing is out of this world BEAUTIFUL! And I just wasted a bunch of time drooling as well over Valentina’s cooking site, though I think her prices are geared to the Americano market
Have you thought of swapping your Toronto terrace on Craig’s list for a Tuscan one? Bet it’s a real possibility.
08/2/06 at 7:36 am
Hi Ivonne, I can host you in my little balcony in Rome..there’s a nice view and we can eat mozzarella di bufala all the time!!!
A big Kiss
08/2/06 at 8:03 am
Hi Ivonne! The stuffed mozzarella looks spectacular! I think I’m going to enjoy what August has to bring! Be sure to let me know when your find your Italian terrace!
08/2/06 at 10:44 am
You are going to need one gigantic table, but I for one want to be there when you find it!
08/2/06 at 12:53 pm
Ah, la bufala!
Do you need any basil plant, for your wonderful italian terrace?
08/2/06 at 1:19 pm
Yes, I am RSVP’ing for the party. Let me know when and where! Your photo is out of this world.
08/2/06 at 1:55 pm
This looks amazing…anything with mozarella and basil will not survive for long in front of me.
08/2/06 at 2:04 pm
Beautiful! Would be the perfect lunch right now.
08/2/06 at 2:22 pm
Oh Wow! This looks so impressive! I bet it was sooo delicous. That cookbook sounds divine.
08/2/06 at 7:49 pm
well get this: we have a terrace, in florence looking out over the rolling tuscan hills, but the owners don’t have the proper permits to open it up! it’s covered!!how italian is that!? i’ll let you know as soon as it is available for dining at sundown. prosecco always abounds in this house, so you will just have to join us sometime soon (i hope)!
08/2/06 at 8:52 pm
Cheesy yummy goodness!
08/2/06 at 8:58 pm
It is so big that it wants to burst open! Pouf! I am getting all the crumbs falling!
08/3/06 at 10:05 am
WOW, LOOKS DELICIOUS; SIMPLE + PERFECT.
YOU MADE ME VERY JELOUS WITH EVERYONE IN ITALY WHO HAS A NICE, SUNNY TERRACE…
*I LOOK OUTSIDE, AND SEE RAIN, RAIN AND ONCE MORE: RAIN…)
REALLY; THE BOOK SOUNDS GREAT, I LOVE ITALIAN FOOD.
BTW GREAT BLOG!
JULIA,
WWW.TASTINGLIFE-JULIA.BLOGSPOT.COM
08/3/06 at 2:16 pm
These flavours are a match made in heaven! Glorious!
08/3/06 at 4:11 pm
Oh, your recipe is so gorgeous : mozza, olive oil, tomatoe… Really beautiful and yummy
08/3/06 at 4:49 pm
I can tell I’m going to like your work with this book this month!!
08/3/06 at 4:50 pm
Oh! A simple and tasty combination!
08/4/06 at 1:24 am
8 or 9 oz of stuffed buffalo mozzarella all to myself?! Whoa! now that’s decadent… bring it on!
Mmmmm yum!
08/4/06 at 4:30 am
I refuse to click on the links to see Tuscany. I don’t think I could stand it! Love mozzarella and I love to stuff things. Hmm.
08/5/06 at 3:25 pm
Oh, yum! I’ll help you build your very own terrace if you’ll share the Mozzarella Farcita…
08/5/06 at 11:36 pm
I love your adaptations of using the products from your garden. Wonderful.
Paz
08/8/06 at 4:28 am
wish we had a terrace for you! thanks for this recipe! looks delicious!
08/11/06 at 11:02 am
My gosh, you’re right about her website! On the edge of tears! And I noticed it is on the outskirts of Siena, which brings back memories of the week that I spent there with A., when we fell in love, which happend to be the week of the Palio. But enough about me–your adaptation looks delicious and light, perfect for a summer dinner with the light fading into pink and a light breeze coming through the window (or if you are lucky, through your hair as you lounge on a terrace in the Tuscan country side….sigh….)
08/11/06 at 3:41 pm
This looks gorgeous, Ivonne!! I have never seen stuffed mozzarella balls before, and it’s such a neat idea. Thanks!
08/17/06 at 4:45 pm
Clearly, stuffed mozzarella rocks! Thanks for your great comments.