Crispy prosciutto balls encompassing melting mozzarella with a herb flavored tomato sauce.
Serves 4
4 balls (4oz each) buffalo mozzarella
ground pepper
8 thin slices Italian prosciutto
1 1/2 tbsp vegetable oil
Tomato Sauce
4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 shallot, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, chopped
1 tbsp champagne vinegar
1/2 cup Passata (tomato puree)
6 plum (Roma) tomatoes, peeled and seeded
5 basil leaves
5 tarragon leaves
sea salt and ground pepper
To serve
a little chopped basil and tarragon
olive oil to drizzle
For the sauce heat 1 tbsp of the olive oil in a pan and sweat the shallot and garlic over low heat until soft.
Add the vinegar and cook for a further 3 – 4 minutes until reduced, then add the passata and tomatoes, and simmer for 3 minutes.
Add the herbs and remaining olive oil and cook over a very low heat for 10 – 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until thick and a deep red.
Season with salt and pepper. Remove from the heat, allow to cool, then push through a coarse sieve and set aside.
Preheat an oven to 300 F. Season the mozzarella with pepper and roll up in the prosciutto allowing 2 slices per ball of cheese.
Heat the oil in a large frying pan over high heat until just smoking.
Place the parcels in the pan, and sear, turning constantly, until the outsides are well colored, about 1 minute.
Transfer the parcels to a baking dish and cook in the oven for 5 to 7 minutes.
Spoon the tomato sauce in the center of individual plates and sprinkle with the chopped basil and tarragon.
Set a mozzarella parcel on top, drizzle with olive oil and serve!