Best Bocconcini Recipes

BOCCONCINI SALAD

Steps:

• In a large salad bowl, combine the mozzarella, cherry tomatoes, bell pepper, celery, endive and arugula.
• Whisk together the lemon juice and olive oil; pour over the salad. Toss until all the ingredients are thoroughly coated with the dressing. Transfer salad to individual serving plates, if desired. Sprinkle the basil over the salad, season with salt and pepper, and serve immediately.

TOMATO AND BOCCONCINI SALAD

Steps:

• Combine the olive oil, vinegar, garlic, salt, and black pepper in a jar with a lid; set aside. Gently combine the spinach, arugula, tomatoes, bocconcini cheese, and onion in a pretty serving bowl. Shake the salad dressing vigorously to combine, and drizzle over the salad to serve.

CHERRY TOMATO, BOCCONCINI AND BASIL BRUSCHETTA

Steps:

• Whisk together three tablespoons of the olive oil and the balsamic vinegar in a bowl.
• Season to taste with salt and pepper.
• Stir in the cheese, tomatoes and basil leaves.
• Set aside.
• Grill the bread on both sides until lightly browned and crisp.
• Rub one side of each slice of bread with the garlic, then sprinkle with olive oil.
• Cover each slice of bread with several arugula leaves.
• Spoon the tomato and cheese mixture over the arugula.
• Sprinkle each bruschetta with additional olive oil, then top with basil leaves.
• Serve immediately.

TOMATO AND BOCCONCINI SALAD

Steps:

• Slice the tomatoes into twelve 1/2-inch slices.
• Slice the bocconcini into twenty-four 1/2-inch slices.
• Arrange the tomato slices on a serving plate, alternating them with 2 slices of bocconcini. Place the basil leaves between the bocconcini slices.
• Drizzle with the olive oil. Sprinkle with basil and season with salt and lots of fresh ground black pepper.

ASPARAGUS AND BOCCONCINI RISOTTO BAKE (SLICE)

Steps:

• Melt the butter and oil in a large pan. Add the sliced leek and garlic. Cook, stirring, until the leek is tender. Add the rice and continue to stir for one minute.
• Add the liquid stock, the water and cream. Mix to combine.
• Bring to the boil and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Stir in asparagus, spinach leaves, parmesan and parsley. Remove from the heat and stir in the eggs.
• Spoon in 1/2 of the rice mixture into a greased 12 cup ovenproof dish. Arrange the bocconcini over the rice. Top with the remaining mixture. Sprinkle over the tasty cheese. I use a lasagne dish to make this recipe.
• Cook uncovered 180 degrees celcius for 25 minutes or until the rice is tender.
• Stand at least 10 minutes before serving. The slice cuts better the longer that it is left.

HERBED MARINATED BOCCONCINI

Steps:

• In a bowl, combine bocconcini, olive oil and red-pepper flakes; season with coarse salt and ground pepper. Marinate at room temperature at least 1 hour (or up to 4 hours). Top with basil and serve with crackers or crostini.

DEEP-FRIED BOCCONCINI WITH SPICY TOMATO AND GARLIC CHUTNEY

Steps:

• For the bocconcini: Drain the bocconcini and pat dry with paper towels. Put on a paper towel-lined plate and allow to dry in the refrigerator for 2 hours. Put the flour in a medium bowl and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Put the eggs in a second medium bowl and the bread crumbs in a third medium bowl. Coat the bocconcini in flour and then dip into the eggs. Roll the bocconcini in the bread crumbs until coated. Dip the coated bocconcini, again, in the eggs and then coat with bread crumbs. Freeze the breaded bocconcini for 20 minutes.
• For the chutney: In a blender, combine the garlic, ginger, 1/4 teaspoon salt, vinegar, sugar, olive oil, cumin and pepper. Blend until smooth. Pour into a medium, heavy-bottomed saucepan and add the tomatoes. Bring the mixture to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until most of the liquid has evaporated and the mixture is thick, about 45 to 55 minutes. Using the back of a wooden spoon, gently break up the tomatoes as they begin to soften during cooking. Season with salt, to taste. Let the chutney cool to room temperature, about 35 minutes. Place in a serving bowl.
• In a large heavy-bottomed saucepan, pour in enough oil to fill the pan about a third of the way. Heat over medium heat until a deep-frying thermometer inserted in the oil reaches 375 degrees F. (If you don't have a thermometer a cube of bread will brown in about 1 to 2 minutes.) In batches, fry the bocconcini until golden brown, about 15 to 20 seconds. Drain on paper towels.
• Arrange the bocconcini on a platter and serve the chutney alongside as an accompaniment.

MARINATED BOCCONCINI

Steps:

• In a medium bowl, combine bocconcini, oil, lemon zest, rosemary, red-pepper flakes, and salt. Let stand at room temperature, at least 30 minutes, tossing occasionally.

TOMATO AND MARINATED BABY BOCCONCINI APPETIZERS

Steps:

• Combine the oil, vinegar and basil in a medium bowl. Add the cheese and toss to coat in the marinade. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
• Drain cheese and discard the marinade.
• Wrap each cheese in a piece of rocket.(The larger rocket leaves work best ). Place on top of a tomato half and spear with a toothpick.

CHERRY TOMATO, BOCCONCINI, AND ZUCCHINI PIE

Steps:

• Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add shallot; cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 3 minutes. Add zucchini; cook, stirring occasionally, until light golden and liquid has been released, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl; set aside.
• Halve one-third of the tomatoes. Stir halved and whole tomatoes, cheeses, basil, lemon zest, flour, and sugar into shallot-zucchini mixture. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside.
• Roll out dough on a lightly floured surface to a 13-inch circle, about 1/4-inch thick. Make seven 3-inch-long cuts around edge of dough, evenly spacing. Trim to make 7 rounded flaps. Transfer to a 10-inch pie plate. Drizzle crust with remaining tablespoon oil. Spread with filling. Fold in flaps of crust, slightly overlapping. Put tomatoes on the vine in center. Refrigerate until cold, about 20 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Whisk cream and egg yolk in a small bowl. Brush crust with egg wash. Bake pie on a rimmed baking sheet until crust is golden brown and juices are bubbling, about 45 minutes.

ASPARAGUS BOCCONCINI

Steps:

• Spray the asparagus lightly with an olive oil spray and stick the in the oven at 400°F/190°C with a few thinly sliced garlic cloves for about 5 minutes.
• To assemble: place asparagus on a plate, scatter bocconcini and olives on top and sprinkle combined oil and vinegar dressing over.
• If you like you may add a few leaves of roughly chopped fresh basil leaves as an added garnish.
• Serve either at room temp or refrigerate till serving time.

FRIED BOCCONCINI WITH SPICY TOMATO SAUCE

Steps:

• In a saucepan over medium heat, warm the olive oil. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes and cook, stirring, until the garlic is soft but not browned, about 1 minute. Add the tomatoes and their juices and simmer until the sauce is thickened, about 6 minutes. Season with salt and black pepper. Set aside.
• Preheat an oven to 200°F.
• Drain the cheese from its liquid. Place the cheese on a paper towel-lined baking sheet and pat dry.
• In a bowl, whisk together the eggs and milk. Put the egg mixture, flour and bread crumbs in separate wide, shallow bowls.
• Roll the cheese in the flour, dip into the egg mixture and coat with the bread crumbs, shaking off the excess after each step. Then bread each piece of cheese again.
• In a large, deep sauté pan over medium-high heat, pour in olive oil to a depth of 3 inches and heat to 350°F on a deep-frying thermometer. Working in batches, fry the cheese until golden, about 2 minutes. (Or follow the directions of your deep fryer.) Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate and season the fried cheese with salt and black pepper. Place the cheese on a wire rack set over a baking sheet and keep warm in the oven while frying the remaining cheese.
• Let the fried cheese cool for at least 7 minutes before serving. Serve with the warm tomato sauce for dipping.

MARINATED BOCCONCINI

Steps:

• To each mason jar add 3 basil leaves, 3 thyme sprigs, 1 sprig fresh rosemary, 1 clove garlic, a pinch red pepper flakes and salt, to taste. Fill the jar half way up with extra-virgin olive oil and add 10 to 12 drained boccocini balls. Top off with more extra-virgin olive oil. Cover and seal the jar. Repeat with the other 3 jars. Turn the jars over several times to incorporate the flavors. Refrigerate for 3 at least days before serving. Lasts for up to 2 weeks in the refrigerator.

BOCCONCINI AND TOMATO SALAD

Steps:

• Combine tomatoes, parsley, bocconcini, olives, oil, and vinegar in bowl, and toss to combine. Season with salt and pepper. Serve immediately.

CRISP TOMATO & BOCCONCINI SALAD

Steps:

• On large plate, toss the onion with the vinegar and a pinch of salt.
• Spread in a single layer and let sit for 20 minutes to pickle.
• In bowl, combine the tomatoes, olives, 1 T basil and 2 t olive oil; season lightly with salt and pepper.
• In separate bowl, combine the bocconcini, remaining 1 T basil, remaining 2 t oil and a pinch of salt.
• Fill 4 martini glasses with the tomato salad, bocconcini and onions.

MARINATED BOCCONCINI (RACHAEL RAY)

Steps:

• Sterilize 4 pint-sized mason jars.
• To each mason jar add 3 basil leaves, 3 thyme sprigs, 1 sprig fresh rosemary, 1 clove garlic, a pinch red pepper flakes and salt, to taste.
• Fill the jar half way up with extra-virgin olive oil and add 10 to 12 drained boccocini balls.
• Top off with more extra-virgin olive oil.
• Cover and seal the jar. Repeat with the other 3 jars.
• Turn the jars over several.
• Refrigerate for 3 at least days before serving.
• Lasts for up to 2 weeks in the refrigerator.

PESTO-BOCCONCINI CROSTINI

Steps:

• Dividing evenly, spread crostini with prepared pesto; top with bocconcini. Season with salt and pepper.

MARINATED BOCCONCINI AND ROASTED PEPPER SALAD

Steps:

• Cut peppers into quarters, removing the seeds. Trim the corners off the ends so the pepper lays relatively flat on baking dish (it chars the peppers more evenly!).
• Roast halves under broiler or on grill until skin is blackened, approximately 5 - 8 minutes. (Hint: I usually take each pepper out when done and continue with the rest until all are charred).
• Once removed from the heat, immediately place peppers in a bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Steam for about 10 minutes (this cools the peppers slightly and makes it easier for the peel to fall off). Uncover and peel off charred skins.
• Combine rest of ingredients and chill for at least 2 hours.

PASTA WITH TURKEY MEATBALLS AND BOCCONCINI

Steps:

• Set a large pot of salted water to boil. In a large bowl, combine turkey, breadcrumbs, garlic, egg, 2 tablespoons Parmesan, 1/4 cup parsley, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper; mix to combine. Using a level 1-tablespoon measure for each, form mixture into meatballs (you should have about 24).
• In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon butter over medium-high. Add meatballs, and cook, turning occasionally, until browned all over, 5 to 7 minutes. Add 1 1/2 cups water; simmer, stirring occasionally, until meatballs are cooked through and liquid is reduced to about 1/2 cup, 10 to 12 minutes. Add tomatoes; cook until they begin to soften, about 1 minute.
• Meanwhile, cook pasta in boiling water until al dente, according to package instructions. Drain, return to pot, and place on the still-warm burner. Add bocconcini, meatballs and sauce, remaining 1/4 cup parsley, remaining 2 tablespoons Parmesan, and remaining tablespoon butter. Season with salt and pepper, and toss until combined.

FRIED BOCCONCINI WITH SPICY TOMATO SAUCE (MOZZERELLA STICKS)

Steps:

• In a saucepan over medium heat, warm the 1/2 cup olive oil. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes and cook, stirring, until the garlic is soft but not browned, about 1 minute. Add the tomatoes and their juices and simmer until the sauce is thickened, about 6 minutes. Season with salt and black pepper. Set aside. Preheat an oven to 200°F. Drain the cheese from its liquid. Place the cheese on a paper towel-lined baking sheet and pat dry. In a bowl, whisk together the eggs and milk. Put the egg mixture, flour and bread crumbs in separate wide, shallow bowls. Roll the cheese in the flour, dip into the egg mixture and coat with the bread crumbs, shaking off the excess after each step. Then bread each piece of cheese again. In a large, deep sauté pan over medium-high heat, pour in olive oil to a depth of 3 inches and heat to 350°F on a deep-frying thermometer. Working in batches, fry the cheese until golden, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate and season the fried cheese with salt and black pepper. Place the cheese on a wire rack set over a baking sheet and keep warm in the oven while frying the remaining cheese. Let the fried cheese cool for at least 7 minutes before serving. Serve with the warm tomato sauce for dipping.