James Martin Mozzarella Food

JAMES MARTIN'S ULTIMATE MACARONI CHEESE

Steps:

• For the macaroni cheese, preheat the grill to its highest setting.
• Cook the macaroni in a large saucepan of salted, boiling water according to the packet instructions.
• Meanwhile, in a separate saucepan, heat the butter until melted, then whisk in the flour until smooth and cook for 1-2 minutes, or until pale golden-brown.
• Whisk in the milk a little at a time, waiting until the mixture has thickened after each addition before adding any more and whisking continually. After all of the milk has been added to the mixture, you should have a smooth sauce with the consistency of double cream.
• Add all of the blue cheese, 100g/3½oz of the cheddar and all of the Caerphilly to the sauce and heat gently, stirring all the time, until it has melted. Season, to taste, with salt, freshly ground black pepper and nutmeg.
• Drain the cooked pasta and tip it into the pan containing the cheese sauce. Stir well to coat the pasta. Set aside.
• Dry-fry the chopped pancetta in a frying pan over a high heat until golden-brown and crisp. Stir it into the macaroni cheese mixture.
• Transfer the macaroni cheese to a large ovenproof dish and top with the chopped mozzarella, breadcrumbs, and Parmesan. Grill for 2-3 minutes, or until the topping is golden-brown and bubbling.
• Meanwhile, for the salad, in a bowl, whisk together the mustard, vinegar and olive oil, then season, to taste, with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Add the lettuce and mix to coat it in the dressing.
• Serve the macaroni cheese with the salad alongside, sprinkled with the chopped basil.

MOZZARELLA, TOMATO & BLACK OLIVE TARTS

Steps:

• Pre-heat oven to 220C/fan 200C/gas 7. Cut the pastry into 4 rounds with an 11cm (approx) cutter. Using a sharp knife, score a circle about 1cm in from the edge of each round.
• Put the pastry rounds on a baking sheet, brush with egg and prick the bases with a fork. Spread each with tapenade or pesto, then arrange the sliced tomatoes on top and finish each with a couple of slices of mozzarella. Drizzle with a little olive oil, season and sprinkle with fresh thyme.
• Bake for 15-20 mins until the pastry is golden and the base is cooked. Remove the tarts from the oven and transfer to plates. Top each tart with a few olives and serve with a rocket salad or top with a few rocket leaves.

PAN-FRIED MOZZARELLA PARCELS

Steps:

• Cut the mozzarella into thirds and wrap each piece in a slice of speck or prosciutto. Heat the oil in a non-stick pan until very hot. Season the mozzarella and fry for a few minutes on each side until the speck or prosciutto is brown and crisp and the mozzarella is starting to ooze. Tip from James: the tip is to cook the mozzarella quickly so it doesn't toughen.
• While the mozzarella is cooking, arrange small piles of lettuce on four plates. Peel, stone and slice the avocados, adding a few slices to each plate. Remove the mozzarella parcels from the pan and put 3 on each plate.
• Pour the balsamic vinegar into the pan and stir to combine with the cooking juices. Drizzle the warm dressing over the leaves and parcels. Serve with plum chutney and slices of ciabatta or focaccia.