"Frosty" Peach and Prosciutto Bruschetta

Mystic Cheese Company makes amazing cheese. Chris and I first tried their cheese while talking to company founder and cheesemaker Brian Civitello on a tour of Graywall Farm, a dairy farm in Lebanon, Connecticut. While we went crazy over that cheese, a satiny, buttery, wonderfully meltable concoction known as Melville, Brian was explaining that he makes all of Mystic Cheese's cheese in two "cheese pods," shipping containers that he has set up on the farm. It is a fascinating and innovative idea and if you want to read more about it, this article or Mystic's own website both do a better job than I ever could.

Anyway, we fell in love with their cheese that day and when we found out they recently came out with a new cheese, we bought it as soon as we found it (at the Coventry Farmers' Market). It's called "Frost," and it has the texture of spreadable fudge, it stinks to high heaven, and it is very, very earthy. I could barely eat it straight, so I knew any recipe I used it in needed to be well-balanced.

I thought on it for about a week and then it came to me, just in time for Chris's birthday. The recipe calls for a nice mix of basic ingredients - bread, meat, cheese and fruit - and only takes about 5 or 6 minutes to make. And look how pretty and fancy they are!

"Frosty" Peach and Prosciutto Bruschetta

(makes 12)

Ingredients:

1 medium sized baguette, cut into 1/2-inch slices

1 package Mystic Cheese Co.'s Frost

6 slices prosciutto, torn in half

1 large peach, cut into thin slices

olive oil

balsamic glaze

Place the baguette slices on a cookie sheet and put under a high broiler to toast; remove from broiler when toasted to your liking. Spread each piece with a thin layer of Frost. Place 1/2 a slice of prosciutto on top of the cheese. Grill the peach slices on each side, just long enough to warm through and get grill marks, about 4 minutes total. Set the peach slices on top of the prosciutto. Drizzle the bruschetta with olive oil and balsamic glaze, and serve immediately.  

Burrata, Prosciutto and Tomato Chutney in Carrozza

We are cheese people. We can easily by-pass a candy store in favor of a cheese shop, especially a really good cheese shop. Italian delis are some of our favorite places to buy cheese, but we are trying to branch out beyond our usual mozzarellas, parmigianos, and provolones to ripe, stinky French cheeses, strange-sounding Swiss cheeses, and best of all, any of their counterparts, locally made.

On a weekend jaunt to the up-and-coming village of Brattleboro, Vermont, our cheese cravings were satiated by the fantastic selection offered by the welcoming and knowledgeable staff of the Brattleboro Cheese Shop and Cafe. The shop was busy and the cheesemonger did her best to meet everyone's needs while she made suggestions, wrapped purchases and created gorgeous cheese plates for sharing. We bought a beautiful fresh burrata made an hour away from the shop, plus some house-made tomato chutney to pair it with. Both of us had visions of the gourmet grilled cheese sandwiches we would make when we arrived back home.

We grabbed a rustic loaf from nearby Brattleboro bakery Amy's Bakery Arts Cafe, and when we got home, we laid our our purchases. The burrata was soft and pillowy, filled with curds, and reminding us of a delicately poached egg. We broke it open and used some of the soft curds and the outer, more-mozzarella-like layer  to make a fancied-up version of mozzarella in carrozza*.  It was fabulous. The tomato chutney had a deep, dark, slightly sweet richness about it that contrasted beautifully with the creamy burrata. The addition of prosciutto contributed a chewy texture and smoky flavor. Deep frying it to an eggy golden brown? Well, that's just good lovin'.

The next day, via email, we received a perfectly timed invitation to the Connecticut Cheese Festival to be held at the Coventry Regional Farmers Market on Sunday October 13th from 11 to 2. Tastings! Pairings! Classes! Food trucks! Even a cheese-wheel-rolling contest! We can't wait to see how our state's offerings compare to Vermont's. For more information about the festival, read the press release here. Hope to see you there!

*Note: "in carrozza" is Italian for "in a carriage" - the golden-fried bread being the vehicle for the delicious fillings. No chutney? Use your favorite preserves!

Burrata, Prosciutto and Tomato Chutney "in Carrozza"

Ingredients (per sandwich):

2 slices rustic bread

1 tablespoon tomato chutney
1/4 large burrata

2 slices prosciutto

1 tablespoon flour

1 egg, beaten

oil for frying

Fill large skillet or frying pan 1/4 inch high with oil and heat. Spread one slice of bread with chutney or preserves and cover with folded prosciutto. Break open the burrata and spread some of the curds onto the sandwich; add some of the mozzarella as well. Assemble into a sandwich. Dip each side of sandwich first in flour, then in the egg. Fry in hot oil on both sides, until bread is golden brown and cheese is melted.

Egg Pappardelle with Arugula, Leeks and Prosciutto

 This time of year, we are always on the lookout for new spring-y pasta recipes. Some of our past favorites have included Food and Wine's Spring Vegetable Farfalle, our own Scarborough Fair Pasta made with fresh herbs, our own Ginger Garlic Bok Choy Pasta, and a fabulous one from Epicurious called Spring Pasta with Prosciutto, Lettuce and Peas.

This week's is very similar to that last one in that it is also a spring pasta from Epicurious and it also includes prosciutto as an ingredient. Not to mention that it has become one of our favorites for this time of year. Frankly, it was delicious!

We followed the Epicurious recipe almost to the letter, using Trader Joe's Egg Pappardelle, which made the dish even lighter and thus, more perfect for the season. With no lemon in the fruit crisper, we substituted 1/4 teaspoon of Boyajian's Lemon Oil - a practical and valuable product to have in the pantry for exactly these situations.

Looking for something for Meatless Monday? This would be just as delish sans prosciutto, we're sure.

Egg Pappardelle with Baby Arugula, Leeks and Prosciutto

barely adapted from this recipe at Epicurious.com

Ingredients:

1/2 pound egg pappardelle

kosher salt

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

2 leeks, white and pale green parts only, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced crosswise

1/4 cup chopped fresh chives

1/4 teaspoon pure lemon oil

4 cups baby arugula

1/3 cup Parmesan cheese, plus more for garnish

freshly ground black pepper

3 ounces prosciutto, torn into 1" pieces

Cook pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water, stirring occasionally, until al dente. Drain, reserving 2 cups pasta cooking liquid. Meanwhile, heat oil and butter in a large heavy pot over medium heat. Add leeks and cook, stirring often, until softened but not browned, 5-8 minutes. Add pasta, chives, lemon oil, and 3/4 cup pasta cooking liquid. Cook, tossing and adding more cooking liquid by 1/4-cupfuls as needed, until a glossy sauce forms that coats pasta, about 4 minutes. Add arugula and 1/3 cup Parmesan, season with salt and pepper, and toss to combine. Add prosciutto and toss again. Top pasta with more lemon zest and Parmesan.

Chicken Saltimbocca

This is our sage plant. It barely wilted over the mild winter we had, and since then, it has almost doubled in size, and is currently blooming. Seeing as we are swimming in sage, we made Chicken Saltimbocca the other night. "Saltimbocca" is an Italian hybrid word formed from the verb saltare (to jump), and the noun bocca - the mouth, thus it means "jumps in the mouth." What a great word, huh? It's the perfect description for this dish, which traditionally is made with pounded veal or chicken breast that is cooked with prosciutto and sage. The blending of that woodsy sage flavor with the salty meatiness from the prosciutto really tickles the tastebuds. Saltimbocca!

Our version is pretty easy and quick to make, so it is nice for weeknights, but also has a touch of elegance that can translate well into a dinner party, especially when paired with the right Pinot Grigio. We do one extra step that makes a big difference - infuse the coooking oil with sage by frying a few sage leaves in it first, which you can use as an edible garnish for the plated dish.

Cut sage leaves

Fry sage in oil to infuse oil and make a unique edible garnish

Use thinly sliced prosciutto

Pound the chicken with the sage and prosciutto

to mingle the flavors

Dredge chicken in flour and fry in infused oil

Don't forget the other side!

Make a quick pan sauce with shallots, wine and butter

Chicken Saltimbocca

Serves two, includes directions for optional sauce

Ingredients:

10-12 large fresh sage leaves

2 thin slices prosciutto

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

1/2 cup flour

kosher salt

freshly ground black pepper

4 tablespoons olive oil

1 shallot, minced (optional)

1/4 cup white wine (optional)

2 tablespoons butter (optional)

Rinse sage leaves and carefully pat them dry. Rip up one large or two small sage leaves and place pieces on top of each chicken breast. Lay one slice of prosciutto on top of each chicken breast, over the sage. Pound chicken breasts to desired thinness. Season flour with salt and pepper, then dredge chicken breasts in the seasoned flour; set aside. Heat olive oil in a large skillet. In small batches, fry 8 of the sage leaves for 4 seconds on each side. Remove from oil, drain on a paper towel and set aside. Place floured chicken breasts in hot oil, prosciutto-side down. Cook for 3-4 minutes, turn, and repeat on the other side, with the timing depending on thickness, until chicken is browned and cooked through. Plate chicken with fried sage leaves for garnish. If desired, make a quick pan sauce by adding minced shallots to the hot pan, and sauteing for a minute. Then add white wine and cook over high heat until reduced by half. Swirl in butter and serve over chicken with favorite side dish (we like haricot verts, as you can see).

Like this? Try our Chicken Piccata!

Spring Pasta with Prosciutto, Lettuce and Peas

We were trolling through some old Epicurious recipes that we had saved in our "recipe box" and found a springtime pasta that sounded interesting. That recipe is here. A few tweaks for our tastebuds and we ended up with a pasta that was different and interesting in all the right ways, perfect for this time of year, and while it made a whole lot of food, it heated up nicely the next day in the microwave at work (with a little extra olive oil tossed in). And just an aside, a little BTW if you will, life has been quite crazy as of late. Our normal, happy, cooking and blogging selves should reappear soon. We promise!

Spring Pasta with Prosciutto, Lettuce and Peas

Ingredients:

1/4 stick unsalted butter

2 tablespoons olive oil (plus additional for drizzling later)

1/4 pound green onions, sliced

2 tablespoons minced shallot

kosher salt and black pepper to taste

1/2 cup white wine (such as Pinot Grigio)

1/2 cup low-salt chicken broth

1 package (about 2 cups) frozen peas

1 pound campanelle (trumpet-shaped) pasta

1 head Boston lettuce, cored, leaves cut into 3/4-inch-wide slices

1 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese plus additional for sprinkling

4 ounces thinly sliced prosciutto, into 1/2-inch-wide strips

Melt butter with 2 tablespoons oil in heavy large skillet over medium heat. Add green onions and shallots. Season with salt and pepper. Saute until fragrant and translucent, about 4 minutes. Add wine. Increase heat to medium-high and simmer until liquid is almost evaporated, about 3 minutes. Add broth and bring to simmer; then set aside. Cook peas according to package directions, then drain. In the meantime, put water in a large pot to boil for the pasta. Cook pasta according to package directions for al dente results. Drain, reserving 1 cup pasta water. Add lettuce to onion/broth mixture and stir over low heat just until wilted, about 1 minute. Add peas, drained pasta, and 1 cup Parmesan cheese and toss together, adding reserved pasta water by 1/4 cupfuls if dry. Season with additional salt and pepper to taste. Fold in prosciutto, drizzle with olive oil, and serve, with additional Parmesan as desired.

Pizza Fail

It sounded good. It was going to make us think of Italy in summer and the times we had fresh, juicy melon wrapped in paper-thin prosciutto. But we were going to put a spin on it. We were going to make it into a pizza. A pizza topped with bufala mozzarella, prosciutto and cantaloupe, then lightly drizzled with balsamic vinegar. 

How far we've fallen, and in only two days! This pizza was a total failure. Although we brushed the dough with olive oil, there was way too much water in the cheese and melon and all of it just soaked into the dough making it a soggy mess. And the prosciutto we bought was pre-sliced and...from Germany. Don't get us wrong, there's nothing wrong with Germany or its prosciutto, but not on this pizza. Because it was sliced thick, it was rubbery and very difficult to chew.

We won't bother giving you a recipe because, really, we don't want you trying this at home. But it sure sounded good. Didn't it?