Chef Antonio Sorrentino shares some advice on how to organise a festive drinks party complete with mouth watering Mediterranean finger food..
For these, Chef Antonio uses the excellent provola from nearby Agerola, anchovies from Cetara and the famously sweet tomatoes of Furore, but of course they will still be quite delicious made with ingredients from your local Italian deli.
Be warned: these delicious little cheese bites are extremely moreish and tend to disappear as soon as they’re served.
Ingredients
(for eight to ten portions)
2 x 1cm thick slices of provola cheese;
2 eggs, beaten;
200g breadcrumbs, seasoned;
with salt and pepper;
100g anchovies in oil;
Preparation
Prepare the anchovy pesto by finely mincing the anchovies along with the garlic with a large sharp knife, continuing until mixture becomes creamy in texture. With a small, round pastry cutter, cut out small circles of provola.
Dip the cheese discs in the beaten egg, then in the breadcrumbs, then again in the egg and for the last time in the breadcrumbs. In a deep pan, heat the vegetable oil and, once hot, fry the breaded cheese until golden brown all over, turning if necessary. Drain briefly on kitchen paper.
To serve, arrange the cheese on a serving dish, place a mini quenelle of anchovy pesto on top and garnish with a thin strip of candied tomato.
