Buricotta With Braised Artichokes Pine Nuts Currants And Mint Pesto Food

APRICOT AND CHICKEN BRUSCHETTA

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Slice the bread into 10 slices, each about 1/2-inch thick. Brush the bread slices with the olive oil and arrange on a baking sheet. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes until crisp and golden. Cool to room temperature.
• Spread each slice of the toasted bread with the apricot preserves then place a slice of the cheese on top. Arrange the sliced chicken on top of the cheese. Cut each piece of prosciutto in half and place on top of the chicken. Transfer the bruschetta to a serving platter. Drizzle with the extra-virgin olive oil and serve.

BURICOTTA WITH BRAISED ARTICHOKES, PINE NUTS, CURRANTS, AND MINT PESTO

Steps:

• Combine the pine nuts, garlic, salt, and half of the olive oil in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a metal blade or the jar of a blender. Add the parsley and pulse until it is finely chopped. Turn off the machine and scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Add the mint, Parmigiano-Reggiano, and the remaining olive oil and purée, stopping as soon as the ingredients form a homogenous paste, and adding more olive oil if necessary to obtain a loose, spoonable pesto. (You want to stop the machine as soon as you achieve the desired consistency, as the blade will heat the garlic and give it a bitter flavor. Also, overprocessing the pesto will incorporate too much air, making the pesto fluffy and too smooth.) Turn the pesto out into a bowl and stir in the lemon juice. Taste for seasoning and add more salt or lemon juice if desired. Use the pesto or transfer it to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to two days-any longer and it will lose its pretty green color and vibrant flavor. Bring the pesto to room temperature, stir to recombine the ingredients, and taste again for seasoning before serving.
• To assemble, lay the crostini oiled side up on your work surface. If you are using ricotta, place it in a medium bowl and stir vigorously with a spoon to fluff it up. Lay 1 slice of buricotta, or spread 2 tablespoons of ricotta in an uneven layer on each crostino, leaving the edges of the bread visible. Season the buricotta or ricotta with salt and spoon 1 teaspoon of pesto on top. Cut off the long stems from the braised artichokes, leaving 1/2 inch of stem on each and reserving the stems to snack on. Open up the artichokes like a flower, and set 1 artichoke on top of each crostino, sticking the stems into the buricotta like stakes to secure them. Season the artichokes with salt and spoon 1 teaspoon of relish over each artichoke. Sprinkle each crostino with 1/2 teaspoon of the bread crumbs if you are using them, and serve.
• Suggested Wine Pairing
• Malvasia di Cagliari Secco (Sardinia)

BRUSCHETTA

Steps:

• In a small skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and stir, lightly frying for about a minute, removing before the garlic gets too brown (it can be golden). Pour the garlic and oil into a mixing bowl and allow to cool slightly.
• Add the red and yellow tomatoes, balsamic and basil to the bowl. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Toss to combine, and then taste and add more basil if needed, and more salt if needed (don't over salt, though!) Cover and refrigerate for an hour or two if you have the time.
• Cut the baguette into diagonal slices to allow for the most surface area possible. Melt 4 tablespoons of the butter in a large skillet and grill half the bread on both sides, making sure they're nice and buttery. Cook until golden brown on both sides. Repeat with the remaining 4 tablespoons butter and the other half of the bread.
• To serve, give the tomato mixture a final stir, and then spoon generously over the slices of bread. Serve on a big platter as a first course or appetizer.

SICILIAN-STYLE ARTICHOKE HEARTS WITH BURRATA

Steps:

• Make the dressing by mixing the lemon juice, white balsamic and saffron in a very small saucepan, then heat gently until it begins to steam. The saffron will colour and flavour the liquid as it heats. Remove from the heat and leave to sit for 20 mins. Add the honey, olive oil and seasoning to the saffron liquid, whisking with a fork. Taste and adjust for seasoning and balance.
• Remove the tough leaves close to the base of the artichokes. Cut off the stems completely, so the artichokes will sit flat. Cook in plenty of lightly salted, boiling water. It will take 15-30 mins, depending on the size and freshness of the artichoke, so check from 15 mins onwards. The best test of doneness is when a leaf from the middle pulls away easily. Drain well, upside down so the water runs out. Pull off the leaves, remove the hairy choke - using a teaspoon works best - and you are left with the tender heart. Trim it so that it's neat, but try not to cut any of the actual heart.
• Lift the burrata out of its liquid and carefully set it on kitchen paper. (It's better if burrata is drained a bit, otherwise the milky liquid seeps into the dressing.) Put the cheese on a plate and place the artichoke hearts alongside. Season the hearts, scatter over the anchovies, capers, pine nuts and mint, then spoon the saffron dressing over everything. Drizzle more extra virgin olive oil over the burrata and serve immediately.

BEST BRUSCHETTA EVER

Steps:

• In a medium bowl, mix tomatoes, dried basil, Parmesan cheese, olive oil, garlic, seasoning salt and ground black pepper. Cover and chill in the refrigerator 8 hours, or overnight, before serving.