Bocconcini Tied with Proscuitto

I, unlike my mother, love to entertain people - I love to cook and bake for friends and family. I don't know where I get it from, but it is one of my favorite things to do. When I entertain I always like to have a little something out for people to nibble on when they arrive to keep them satisfied until dinner is ready. Bocconcini Tied with Proscuitto serves that purpose very well!

First though, some interesting facts about bocconcini. Bocconcini is a very mild, unripened cheese. Because of how mild and soft the cheese is it takes on flavours very easily making it perfect for this starter which is flavoured by chili infused olive oil. Bocconcini originated in Naples where it was originally made only from milk of water buffaloes! How cool is that? The cheese balls are now made of a combination of water buffalo milk and cow's milk. In Italian the word Bocconcini is translated to mean small mouthfuls, which is exactly what they work out to be - they're about the size of a hardboiled egg. You can purchase Baby Bocconcini which are about the size of large grapes and I would recommend that if you can find them, you use them for this recipe.

Bocconcini Tied with Proscuitto

Recipe from Tyler's Ultimate, p. 30

Ingredients:

• 1 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 sprigs fresh thyme
• 2 sprigs fresh rosemary
• 1/2 heaping tbsp dried red chili flakes
• 1 strip of orange peel
• 12 baby bocconcini
• 6 strips proscuitto
• fresh rosemary and thme sprigs, for garnish

Method:

1. Combine the oil, thyme, rosemary, chili flakes, and orange peel in a small bowl or jar. Set aside and let sit for at least one hour to allow the flavours to infuse.
2. Wrap each bocconcini in a strip of proscuitto and use a toothpick to secure. Drizzle the bocconcini with the infused chili oil and garnish with fresh rosemary and thyme.

Oh, I think I forgot to mention how quick and easy this recipe is! It is perfect for when you're already busy as a bee in the kitchen and the last thing you feel like making is a labour intense starter for your guests. So, instead of instinctively putting out a bowl of chips, put these yummy bites out for your guests. Your guests will appreciate them and you will feel far better knowing you made them yourself!

Happy Cooking my Friends!