The mozzarella balls on Montepulciano d’Abruzzo grape reduction cod cream, served with dried pepper powder, are a dish with a delicate and refined taste.
With this recipe, I participate in the contest Caseus Veneti 2020, the regional cheese competition of Veneto, supported by the Veneto Region, Department of Tourism. The event is promoted by a committee composed of the seven Protection Consortia of PDO cheeses of Veneto, with media partner AIFB. I received some STG mozzarella (Guaranteed Traditional Specialty) from Latteria Soligo to use in creating a typical dish of my region, Abruzzo.
I used STG mozzarella to make gluten-free balls, inspired by the famous cacio e uova balls, much appreciated in my land. Abruzzo is a land of shepherds, where cheese-making gives life to cheeses loved and revered by the Abruzzi and those who come to discover this wonderful region. The shepherds are also the protagonists of D’Annunzio’s famous and eponymous poem.
“…my shepherds
leave the folds and head towards the sea:
they descend to the wild Adriatic
green as the mountain pastures…”
The shepherds leave the mountains to go along the Adriatic coast, the latter flanked by hills, as in the country where I live on a hill, a few steps from the sea and immersed in greenery. Here olive trees and vineyards abound, and the Montepulciano grape stands out in all its splendor, the renowned grape from which the exquisite Montepulciano d’Abruzzo red wine is born, among the excellence products of my area.
D’Annunzio’s poem begins with the line “September, let’s go, it’s time to migrate…”: September is my birth month and it is also the month of grape harvest. And so I used and honored the precious Montepulciano d’Abruzzo grape, with which I made a reduction that garnishes the dish on which I served the mozzarella balls.
I placed the balls on a cod cream, another typical product of Abruzzo: it is the most consumed fish by the Abruzzi. Cod is linked to the traditions of my land: in the past, due to its low cost, it was considered the food of the poor and was also combined with recipes from the peasant tradition. In my area, a festival is also dedicated to it.
Finally, I completed and served the dish with some dried pepper crumbled. In my land, there is also the tradition of drying red sweet horn peppers. My mom, and before her my grandmother, every summer puts aside some peppers, then threads them with a needle and a string at the peduncle, creating a necklace of peppers, dialectically called lu crolle (the crolla), which will be hung and put in the sun, so they can dry in the sun. Furthermore, in Abruzzo, the Altino (Chieti) dried pepper has been recognized as an Italian Traditional Product by the Ministry of Agricultural Policies.
I used the Venetian STG mozzarella and took it on a culinary journey in my Region, between seas and mountains, passing through my beloved hills.
For other cod recipes, check out the collection Cod Recipes
- Difficulty: Medium
- Cost: Medium
- Preparation time: 20 Minutes
- Portions: 10 Pieces
- Cooking methods: Slow Fire, Stove
Ingredients
- 3.5 oz STG mozzarella
- 1.4 oz eggs (from Padovana hen)
- 1.8 oz rice flour
- 1.1 oz grated pecorino
- to taste salt
- 1 sprig oregano
- 1 sprig lemon thyme
- to taste oil for frying
- 7 oz desalted cod
- 1 carrot
- 1 stalk celery
- 1 clove garlic
- to taste extra virgin olive oil
- 7 oz Montepulciano d'Abruzzo grapes
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 teaspoon lemon thyme
- to taste salt
- 1 dried pepper
- to taste extra virgin olive oil
Preparation
Chop the mozzarella and leave it to drain excess water.
In a bowl pour the egg and grated pecorino. Start mixing and incorporate the mozzarella.
While continuing to knead, add the rice flour, oregano, and thyme. Finally, add salt and mix until obtaining a soft and homogeneous mixture.
Shape the mixture into balls with your hands, slightly larger than a walnut. Place them on a tray and refrigerate to firm up while preparing the other components.
Clean the cod and remove the bones with tweezers. Then cut the flesh into chunks.
In a pot, pour a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and add the garlic clove. Place on low heat. Wash and peel the carrot and celery, chop them, and add them to the garlic. Let them soften on low heat for a few minutes.
Add the cod to the mixture, cook for a few minutes, and finally adjust the salt.
When the cod is cooked, transfer everything to a bowl and blend with an immersion blender until smooth and creamy. If the mixture is too thick, add a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.
In a small pan, pour the extra virgin olive oil and grape berries. Place on low heat, add the thyme and a pinch of salt, and cook for 10-15 minutes.
When the mixture has thickened, remove from heat, pass it through a fine-mesh strainer to remove seeds and grape skin, and collect the liquid in a bowl.
Clean the dried pepper with a damp cloth, remove the stem and seeds, and cut it into pieces with scissors. In a pan, heat a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil, then add the dried pepper and cook until crisp. Remove from heat and crumble until obtaining a powder-like texture.
Fry the balls in plenty of hot oil until golden brown. Drain and place them on absorbent paper.
Serve the balls on the cod cream. Garnish the plate with the grape reduction and dried pepper powder. Enjoy your meal!
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This article mentions some products and respective companies used to make the recipe.
