Fried mozzarella with roasted red pepper sauce
4 servings
Ingredients
| Quantity | Ingredient | |
|---|---|---|
| ½ | cup | Fresh bread crumbs |
| ¼ | cup | Pine nuts, toasted lightly, |
| Cooled, and chopped very | ||
| Fine | ||
| Flour for dredging | ||
| 1 | large | Egg |
| 8 | ounces | Package mozzarella, sliced |
| Horizontally into four inch thick | ||
| Slices | ||
| 7 | ounces | Jar roasted red peppers, |
| Drained, rinsed, and patted | ||
| Dry | ||
| ¼ | cup | Olive oil |
| 1½ | teaspoon | Fresh lemon juice |
| 1½ | teaspoon | Red wine vinegar |
| Cayenne to taste | ||
| ¼ | cup | Kalamata or other brine |
| Cured black olives, pitted | ||
| And chopped | ||
| 2 | tablespoons | Minced fresh parsley leaves |
| Plus additional for garnish | ||
| If | ||
| Desired | ||
Directions
In a small shallow bowl stir together the bread crumbs, the pine nuts, and salt and pepper to taste. Have ready in 2 separate bowls the flour and the egg, beaten lightly. Working with 1 mozzarella slice at a time, dredge the slices in the flour, shaking off the excess, dip them in the egg, letting the excess drip off, and coat them with the crumb mixture, patting the crumbs gently onto the sides and edges. Line a plate with waxed paper and chill the slices in one layer on it for 15 minutes. While the mozzarella is chilling, in a blender blend the peppers, 1 tablespoon of the oil, the lemon juice, the vinegar, the cayenne, 1 tablespoon water, and salt and pepper to taste until the mixture is smooth. Transfer the sauce to a bowl, stir in the olives and 2 tablespoons of the parsley, and divide the sauce between 2 plates. In a large heavy skillet, preferably nonstick, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons oil over moderately high heat until it is hot but not smoking and in it saute the mozzarella slices, turning them once, for 2 to 3 minutes, or until they are golden.
Divide the mozzarella slices between the plates and garnish them with the additional parsley.
Yield: 4 first course servings
Recipe courtesy of Gourmet Magazine COOKING LIVE SHOW #CL8989