Burrata Parmigiana

The Burrata Parmigiana is Arévalo’s twist on an eggplant parmigiana, a classic Italian dish that is traditionally made with eggplant layered with cheese and tomato sauce. Preludio's version is a ball of stracciatella filled with white eggplant and parmesan on a bed of clarified tomato water, drizzled with the chef's favourite Arbequina Treurer Olive Oil.⁣ It is served with a house-made fougasse bread roll brushed with the same olive oil.

 

Serves 5 burratas

Prep time 1 day

Cook time 20 minutes

Tomato water

• 2kg Datterini tomato

• 50g basil leaves

• salt

1. Blend the tomatoes on high speed for 2 minutes.

2. Add salt and basil, and strain through a fine cheesecloth inside a container overnight.

Eggplant filling

• 5 eggplants, medium sized

• salt, pepper, olive oil

• 3 shallots

• 1 leek

• butter, to sauté

• extra virgin olive oil, to sauté

• 100g basil leaves

• 4 cups tomato water

• 250g stracciatella cheese

• 150g Parmigiano-Reggiano 

1. Marinate the eggplant with salt, pepper, and olive oil. Leave it in the chiller overnight.

2. Sauté the shallots and leeks in butter and extra virgin olive oil in a pot until translucent.

3. Add the marinated eggplant and basil leaves, and fill the pot with warm tomato water.

4. Season and cover with a parchment lid. Simmer for 30 minutes or until soft but not overcooked.

5. Take the eggplant out of the cooking liquid and mix with stracciatella cheese and Parmigiano- Reggiano. Season to taste and put the mix in a piping bag.

6. Save the cooking liquid for some other dish.

Burrata

• 200g Fior di Latte cheese, chopped

• 3 tbsp tomato water

• eggplant filling

1. In a pot, heat water up and pour the heated water over the chopped Fior di Latte cheese to soften it up – constantly stir it until the cheese becomes stretchy.

2. When slightly melted and smooth, begin to stretch the Fior di Latte cheese and make a small dent in the softened cheese and pip the eggplant filling into the cheese until the skin is thin. Use your fingers to close the burrata and press tightly to seal.

3. Keep the finished burrata submerged in room temperature water.

Assembly

• tomato water

• a dash of extra virgin olive oil

• salt, to season

• basil, to garnish

1. Serve warm with tomato water, extra virgin olive oil and finishing salt.

2. Then top it with basil.

Chef Masterclass