Great news for us Wellingtonians, Moore Wilsons has Burrata. Nestled amongst the Mozarella and bochoncini we spied this elusive treat.

I’ve written about the delights of Burrata before, the way it wobbles in your hand like an ivory white breast, a Mozarella money bag plump with cream and silky shreds of cheese.
 

Originating in Puglia, Italy, Burrata (pronounced boo-RAH-ta) was created in the 1920s to use up scraps from the production of Caciocavallo and Provolone. You need to eat them fresh so thankfully Italian Cheese’s Massimo’s Burrata is made in Auckland. Big ups to them and their Gold medal at the NZ Cheese Awards this year.

You can cook with it, but I love it simply served with a salad. The combination of lactic sweet dairy, acid tomatoes and peppery rocket and basil is a rare one. Seldom does cream join with such fresh flavours.

It’s good to use a range of tomatoes and I always follow Jamie Oliver’s tip of salting tomatoes, especially if I’m in a more temperate clime.

Chop up the tomatoes unevenly, place Ina bowl and toss in salt, I use Maldon, but table salt will do at a push. He advises using more salt than you’d usually use. Let it rest for 20 minutes, then drain. I tossed my leaves in a bit of olive oil and a skirrick of balsamic, plated up then did the same with the tomatoes.

Finally slice your Burrata in half from top to bottom, quickly transferring the halves to the salad so you don’t lose the precious cream. A grind of pepper, a few more basil leaves.

I served mine with bruschetta I’d made while the tomatoes were resting and coffee was brewing.

A wonderfully rare treat in Wellington that I hope will become more common place. Buon appetito!