Peperonata with buffalo mozzarella

I was looking for a recipe that uses mozzarella but not tomatoes. I found this recipe in one of my favourite cookbooks. Peperonata is one of my favourite salads, and this is one of the best recipes that I have ever had.

The Mediterranean is filled with excellent pepper salads, from the famed Middle Eastern Shakshuka to this Addictive roasted pepper salad from Spain. The art of slow-roasting peppers for dishes has been a staple for centuries.

Peperonata is a classic Italian salad of cooked peppers with fresh herbs and laced with vinegar. This dish is elegant with subtle flavours and undeniably good. Unlike some traditional recipes, this version does not have tomatoes, so the flavour is lighter, and the peppers shine through. Adding the nuts, raisins and the creamy cheese makes it irresistible. Do not be alarmed by the long list of ingredients; it is quite a simple recipe that is spectacular.

As a note, this salad improves with time. Once you have cooked the peppers, allow the salad to sit at room temperature for a few hours or in the fridge overnight. The vinegar and the peppers have time to integrate, and the flavours smooth out.

You can serve it as a salad or as an appetizer, either by itself or with some bread or pita.

As I have already mentioned, this is one of my favorite cookbooks. Cooking from it always makes me happy! The recipes can occasionally be complex to make, but most are simple, like this one. Every recipe from this cookbook is spectacular. The Araxi farm-to-table restaurant in Whistler is on my bucket list.

For more amazing recipes from this cookbook, click here.

Ingredients:

1/3 cup olive oil

Salt, to taste

1 teaspoon pepper

3-4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced

6-8 shallots, thinly sliced

5 large bell peppers of various colours (red , yellow, green, purple) de-stemmed, de-seeded and cut into thin strips

1/2 cup sherry vinegar

1/2 cup raisins, soaked in water for 15 minutes if very dry

2-3 teaspoons sugar

15-20 mint leaves, thinly sliced

1/4 cup pine nuts, toasted lightly

Mozzarella cheese

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

Mint, to garnish

Heat the oil in a large deep frying pan large enough to fit all the peppers. Add the salt, pepper, garlic, and shallots and sauté over a low flame for about 4-5 minutes until the onions are soft and translucent. Do not brown the onions.

Add the sliced peppers and turn the heat up to medium. Sauté, tossing frequently, until the peppers have turned soft and the juices have been released, about 10 minutes. You want the peppers to have some texture and look bright, so please don't cook them to death.

Add the sherry vinegar, sugar, and raisins and sauté until the vinegar has evaporated but the mix is still wet. Take off the flame and mix in the mint leaves. Taste and adjust the salt, sweetness, and acid from the vinegar. The mix should have a hint of sweetness; remember that the peppers are also sweet, and the acid from the vinegar should be forward. Set aside to cool.

Mix the pine nuts in half and arrange the peppers in a deep bowl to serve. Top with the remaining nuts, the mozzarella balls and the mint leaves to garnish. Serve at room temperature with bread, if desired.