Mozzarella Grilled in Lemon Leaves

Name: Mozzarella Grilled in Lemon Leaves
Yield: 2
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: 2 x 125g balls Mozzarella di Bufala; 20 large lemon leaves; Salt flakes, to taste; Extra virgin olive oil, for serving; Crusty bread, for serving

I discovered mozzarella grilled in lemon leaves on the Amalfi coast, where lemons are a way of life. It’s delicious and so very simple to make, especially if you (or a neighbour) have a lemon tree in the backyard. I’ve tried it with fresh fior di latte, but that’s a bit too moist; I find the scamorza bianca from Vannella Cheese has the perfect melting texture. Trim the cheese slices if necessary so there’s room top and bottom to secure the leaves with toothpicks. And don’t worry if the cheese oozes out a little, the crusty bits it forms on the grill are a special treat! Eat with your hands, using the bread to scrape the cheese off the leaves (don’t eat them) and enjoy it with a cold glass of white wine – a southern Italian varietal, like Geoff Hardy’s delicious fiano, is ideal. See video below for another deliciously cheesy Italian recipe.

Serves 2 as a starter

Ingredients

230g scamorza
About 20 large lemon leaves
Extra virgin olive oil, for brushing
Crusty bread, for serving

Method

Cut scamorza into slices 5–10mm thick.
Rinse leaves under cold water and pat dry.
Lay half the leaves on a work surface, shiny side down.
Top each one with a slice of scamorza.
Place another leaf of a similar size on top, shiny side up, and secure with toothpicks.
Brush both sides with oil.
Grill leaf parcels for about a minute each side, just until the cheese starts to melt.
Transfer to a plate and serve immediately with crusty bread.