BURRATA… I mean… where do I start… I realized today that EXACTLY 3 years ago TO THIS DAY… I was in Florence and tried Burrata for the very first time. (I’m mega superstitious and this is such a crazy coincidence, in my opinion). Anyways, back to my love of burrata. There’s just something about it; maybe it’s the surprise of a creamy interior, or the way it’s perfectly salted and just has this way of uplifting whatever it happens to be paired with… in any case, it is by far my favourite cheese in the whole wide world and that’s that.
When traveling, we always do our best to rent a place with a kitchen (or kitchenette) so that we can explore the local markets and try to eat similar to how a local would in order to really feel immersed in that culture. Going back to three years ago in Florence… my husband and I were lucky enough to stay in an incredible little apartment on top of a 2000 year old building, where there is actually a museum now on the main floor because a famous poet (Dante Alighieri) once lived there some 700 years ago. Every morning and evening, I sat perched on this windowsill and listened to the Duomo ring it’s bells. And it was on this balcony that I tried burrata for the first time; smeared on a crostini with a big glass of Chianti Classico and probably shed a tear it was so good.
These are the moments when food is no longer just food. It’s so much more. Because even to this day, every time I have burrata; I hear those duomo bells; I picture that tiny apartment where the doorways were so low my husband had to duck; and the busy market where I bought it where it seemed like everyone was talking over each other all at the same time yet the cheese monger somehow knew exactly which cheese you wanted and exactly how much of it to give you, just by the way you looked at it… in any case… burrata, you will forever be near and dear to my heart!
Recipe:
Ingredients:
- 1 6oz ball of burrata cheese
- 500g Fusilli Bucati Corti (short hollow fusilli) pasta
- 1 pound fresh shelled spring peas
- 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 5 cloves of garlic, minced
- 1.5 tsp chili flakes
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter
- 3 tbsp fresh basil, roughly chopped + more for garnish
- Juice and zest from 1 lemon
- 1 cup Parmesan cheese
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- Small handful of pea shoots and basil leaves for garnish
Preparation:
- Bring a large pot of water to boil, add the peas and boil gently until almost tender, about 2 minutes. Remove the peas from the boiling water using a slotted spoon and rinse them under cold water (reserve keep the water). Set aside.
- To the same pot of boiling water, add the pasta and cook according to package directions. Meanwhile start on the sauce.
- Heat a skillet over medium heat and add the olive oil followed by the garlic and chilli flakes and until fragrant (about 3 minutes).
- Add the butter followed by the peas and stir to combine and season with salt and pepper. Turn off the heat and add the basil, stir to combine.
- Once the pasta is cooked, drain and add to the skillet with the peas and stir well. Add in the parmesan cheese, lemon juice and zest tossing gently to combine everything.
- Break up the burrata ball into about 5 small pieces and dot the top of the skillet with it – garnish with extra basil leaves and pea shoots. Serve immediately.
CHEZ CHANELLE 