Fresh Mozzarella Tomatoes With Anchovy Food

FRESH MOZZARELLA AND TOMATO

Steps:

• On round plate, arrange tomato and cheese slices alternately. Drizzle oil and vinegar over tomatoes and cheese. Sprinkle with basil and pepper.
• Let stand at room temperature 20 minutes to blend flavors. Cover and refrigerate leftovers.

TOMATO TART WITH FRESH MOZZARELLA AND ANCHOVIES

Steps:

• Make the dough: Put flour and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a mixing bowl. Drizzle in 1/4 cup oil, egg and 1/4 cup cold water, then mix quickly with hands to make a soft dough. If dough seems dry, add more water, 1 tablespoon at a time. Form dough into a rough rectangle, wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
• Heat oven to 425 degrees. On a flour-dusted surface, divide dough in half. Roll out one piece to a rectangle approximately 9 by 12 inches (reserve other piece for future use, or to make a second tart).
• Stir 2 tablespoons olive oil and the garlic together in a small bowl. Put rolled dough on lightly greased baking sheet. Drizzle surface of dough with garlic oil. Scatter onion slices over dough. Arrange tomato slices over dough in one layer without crowding, then season with salt and pepper. Top tomatoes with torn mozzarella slices in one layer. Tuck olives and capers here and there, if using. Drape top of tart with intermittently placed anchovy fillets.
• Bake for 6 minutes on bottom shelf of oven, then transfer to top shelf and bake for another 6 minutes or until nicely browned. Let cool slightly, then cut into squares. Serve warm or at room temperature.

BAKED EGGPLANT WITH RICOTTA, MOZZARELLA AND ANCHOVY

Steps:

• Heat oven to 375 degrees. Generously oil a 9- by 13-inch baking dish. Season eggplant slices on both sides with salt and pepper. Arrange half the eggplant slices in one layer on bottom of dish, overlapping slices slightly. Drizzle or paint eggplant generously with olive oil. Sprinkle with crushed red pepper to taste and scatter onion slices evenly over surface.
• With a small spoon, distribute the ricotta in little blobs evenly over surface, then arrange half the smoked mozzarella over the ricotta. Sprinkle with 1 cup grated provolone.
• Make another layer of overlapping slices with remaining seasoned eggplant. Drizzle or paint eggplant generously with olive oil. Top surface evenly with remaining smoked mozzarella and provolone, then sprinkle with Parmesan and pecorino. Arrange anchovy fillets over top and sprinkle with bread crumbs.
• Bake uncovered for 45 minutes to 1 hour, until eggplant is quite tender when pierced with a fork and top is crisp and golden. (If top seems to be browning too quickly, tent with foil and reduce heat to 350 degrees.) Remove from oven, dust with oregano and let rest at least 20 minutes before cutting into squares. The dish is best served at room temperature, not piping hot.

GRANDMA-STYLE PIZZA

Steps:

• Drain one 28-oz. can whole peeled tomatoes and pulse tomatoes with 2 anchovies, 2 garlic cloves, 6 tablespoons olive oil, and 1/4 cup basil leaves in a food processor or blender until mostly smooth (some texture is okay); season with salt and pepper.
• Put It All Together:
• A classic Grandma-just sauce and mozzarella-flips the usual script: Add cheese before sauce. Master this basic pie and you're ready to improvise (see below for ideas).
• Classic Mozzarella Pie:
• Place a rack in lower third of oven and preheat to 525° or as high as oven will go.
• Once Grandma-Style Pizza Dough has risen on baking sheet, top with 12 ounces fresh mozzarella, grated, and dot pie with 1 1/2 cups Fresh Tomato Pizza Sauce. Bake pie until golden brown and crisp on bottom and sides, 20-30 minutes.

CROSTINI WITH FRESH MOZZARELLA AND ANCHOVY SAUCE

Steps:

• Preheat broiler.
• Combine butter, anchvies and milk in a small saucepan over low heat and cook, stirring for often for about 3 minutes or until anchovies dissolve, mashing with the back of a spoon. DO NOT BOIL.
• Place bread slices on a cookie sheet.
• Brush bread slices with oil and top with mozzarella slices.
• Broil until cheese melts and bread is crisp (3 minutes). BE CAREFUL IT COOKS FAST.
• Transfer to a platter and drizzle sauce over crostini.

EGGPLANT ROLLATINI WITH ANCHOVY BREADCRUMBS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400˚ F.
• Arrange the eggplant in an even layer on two sheet pans. Brush both sides with 6 tablespoons of the oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast until lightly golden brown and very tender, about 25 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool. (The eggplant can be cooked up to 1 day in advance, cooled and stored, covered, in the refrigerator.) Reduce the oven temperature to 375˚ F.
• Meanwhile, make the sauce: Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons oil in a large Dutch oven over high heat until shimmering. Add the onion and cook until soft, about 4 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute longer. Add the tomatoes with their juices and season with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil and cook until the tomatoes begin to soften, about 10 minutes. Crush the tomatoes with a potato masher. Add the chile paste and basil and cook the sauce until it thickens, stirring occasionally, about 25 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
• Make the filling: Mix together the ricotta, egg, diced mozzarella and 1/4 cup of the Pecorino in a medium bowl until combined. Season with salt and pepper and fold in the parsley and oregano.
• Ladle 1 cup of the sauce into the bottom of a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Spread 2 tablespoons of the cheese filling over each eggplant slice. Carefully roll up and place them, seam-side down, in the baking dish. Once all the eggplant rolls are in the dish, ladle another cup of the sauce evenly over them and sprinkle the grated mozzarella and remaining 1/2 cup Pecorino over the top.
• Bake until the sauce is bubbling and the cheese has melted and turned lightly golden brown, about 20 minutes. Sprinkle the breadcrumbs over the top and garnish with torn basil, if desired.
• Heat the oil in a medium skillet over high heat until shimmering. Add the anchovies and cook until dissolved, about 2 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute more.
• Add the panko and spread into an even layer. Cook until golden brown, about 3 minutes. Flip the crumbs, press them into an even layer again and cook until the bottom is golden brown, about 3 minutes longer. Add the lemon zest and season with pepper and more salt, if desired.
• Spread on a large plate or sheet pan and let cool. Store, tightly covered, in a cool, dry place for 1 day, or in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Re-crisp in a dry skillet over low heat before using.

FRESH MOZZARELLA & TOMATOES WITH ANCHOVY

Steps:

• Alternate slices of tomato with mozzarella on platter. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Scatter with chopped anchovy. Drizzle entire platter with olive oil and garnish with chopped parsley. Serve with slices of a crusty, rustic baguette rubbed with fresh garlic.

FRIED MOZZARELLA WITH ANCHOVIES, CAPERS, AND GARLIC SAUCE

Steps:

• Coat cheese in flour, then egg, then breadcrumbs. Place on baking sheet. Cover and refrigerate until cold, at least 2 hours.
• Meanwhile, melt butter in small skillet over low heat. Add garlic; sauté about 3 minutes. Transfer mixture to processor. Add parsley leaves, 1/4 cup oil, capers, anchovies, and lemon juice. Blend until coarse paste forms. Season with salt and pepper. (Cheese and sauce can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover separately; chill. Rewarm sauce slightly over low heat before serving.)
• Heat 1/4 cup oil in large skillet over high heat. Working in batches, fry cheese until brown, about 2 minutes per side.
• Transfer fried cheese to plates. Spoon warm sauce over cheese.

TOMATO AND BREAD SALAD WITH GARLIC-ANCHOVY DRESSING

Steps:

• Core and halve tomatoes, then cut each half into 4-5 wedges. Toss wedges with salt in a large bowl; let rest until small pool of liquid accumulates, 15-20 minutes.
• Meanwhile, whisk oil, vinegar, garlic, basil, anchovies, and pepper to taste in small bowl. Pour mixture over tomatoes and accumulated liquid; toss to coat. Set aside to blend flavors, about 5 minutes.
• Add bread cubes; toss to combine. Adjust seasonings. Sprinkle with some freshly grated Parmesan cheese and serve immediately.