Piccolo’s Burrata with Frozen Pea Purée, Bottarga, & Oilo Verde

-written by Stephanie Meyer
-photographed by Susan Powers

Piccolo’s Burrata with Frozen Pea Puree, Bottarga, & Oilo Verde

Shooting at Piccolo was very special for me. Chef Doug Flicker’s previous restaurant – Auriga – is where I met my husband…on a blind date! I know, a blind date. Crazy. It was bold to choose Auriga, given it was my all-time favorite restaurant, and what if the date was a disaster? Luckily it was a lovely evening, in no small part helped along by perfect, delicious food, lots of romantic candles, and a bottle of excellent wine. Thank you, Chef.

Seriously, who would not fall in love in the presence of food so intensely beautiful? Flicker’s eye for composition and color is extraordinary. Susan and I were like kids in a candy store playing around with this recipe, oohing and ahhing as we arranged and drizzled and then inhaled the whole thing in short order. Bonus: It couldn’t be easier to pull together but has everything you could want to find on a plate. The lush, creamy cheese with the cold pea puree is the essence of summer – you will be shocked at the intensity of the pea flavor. A hint of the salty, minerally bottarga with fruity olive oil brings it all together.

A word on bottarga, which is salted and cured fish roe… Flicker cures his own at Piccolo, although you can easily order it on online. It’s worth it for the dish, then use the rest to make spaghetti alla bottarga. So good. If you can’t put your hands on bottarga, substitute salt-cured anchovies.

The salty bottarga on the cutting board, waiting to be plated.

Weighing out the peas.

Into the Blender.

We love the scale.

And honey…

Getting ready to freeze the pea purée.

The Burrata.

Oh my.


Burrata with Frozen Pea Purée, Bottarga, & Oilo Verde

Doug Flicker, chef/owner, Piccolo

Serves 4

 

8 oz. water

2 Tbsp. honey

2 Tbsp. sugar

4 oz. frozen peas

2 4-oz. balls of burrata (fresh Italian mozzarella, outside is solid mozzarella, inside is mozzarella and cream; available locally at Whole Foods; substitute buffala mozzarella if you can’t find it – but try to find it!)

2 oz. bottarga (salt-cured fish roe, available online; substitute salt-cured anchovies if you can’t find it), sliced thin

really good extra-virgin olive oil

pea shoots for garnish (optional)

 

Place peas in a blender.

In a small saucepan, bring water and sugar to a boil and turn off heat. Stir in honey.  Pour a quarter of the water over the peas and blend on low. When peas are starting to break down, increase speed of the blender to medium and slowly add another quarter of the liquid. Increase speed to high and add the rest of the liquid. Blend for another two minutes or until peas are a very smooth purée. Transfer to an airtight container, cover, and freeze for at least 4 hours or overnight.

To serve: Break open the burrata and divide among 4 plates. Use a small ice cream scoop to place a spoonful of pea purée next to the burrata. Add a thin slice or two of bottarga, then drizzle the whole with olive oil. Serve immediately.

 

 

{ 5 comments… read them below or add one }

Shaina June 22, 2011 at 1:17 am

Now, I saw this tutorial on making your own burrata, and that is my new goal. I just need a few volunteers and someone’s kitchen to make it in…

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Keane June 22, 2011 at 3:34 am

Holy crap! I’m speechless…

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Mary June 22, 2011 at 1:11 pm

WOW!

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Stephanie Meyer (Shooting the Kitchen) June 22, 2011 at 1:52 pm

Shaina, I think you, Keane, and I need to make burrata over here. Not kidding – let’s do it!

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Kelli June 22, 2011 at 3:49 pm

Oh, I would love to be in on this too. I think it would break me out of my “funk” First making ricotta, now this…heavenly. I will bring some bubbly! Sounds like a plan.

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