Burrata.... nothing says soft, buttery, creamy, juicy, tasty, than a hand made, hand formed burrata cheese!
Burrata, a discovery of mine late in life. I never really knew what it was till my late forties. Having met my wife and going to Italy quite often, has definitely opened my food world. The next best thing that I would never say no to, is a panino, so why not combine the two with some other great ingredients. I think we are going to enjoy this lunch immensely, and even more so with this Burrata, Prosciutto and Spicy Eggplant Panino.
The inspiration for this panino and others that will be coming, came from a television show called "You Gotta Eat Here" Italy edition. Host Joe Catucci takes you on a journey of great restaurants, meeting great people serving wonderful food. P.S. if Joe ever wants to retire we are available, that is Nicoletta and I. Love this show, it makes us so hungry even after having lunch. The good thing is it inspires us to create new recipes and ideas. So I would say a win win situation all around.
In this particular episode, Joe was in Florence checking out Paninerie (Panino shops), showcasing the best of the best in panini ideas. Beautiful rustic bread and focaccia filled with prosciutto and mozzarella, mortadella, bresaola arugula and parmigiano, and all kinds or marvelous stuff. Well, Nicoletta and I were in a deep craving of a panino, preferably there in Florence if possible, but that not happening now, inspired us to create our own panino.
I had a wonderful experience in Rome while Nicoletta was with friends for a lunch. I was strolling around, doing some sightseeing and getting my bearings for the downtown Rome layout, avoiding getting lost and having to call Nicoletta for help. Well, as I was going in and out of side streets, I noticed a huge line up at this alimentari (grocery/market store). The line up mostly Italians ordering panini. I knew right there and then that I had found a jewel of a place and my lunch fate was decided. The panino was magnificent, the wait entertaining, listening to all that Italian chatter and chaotic impatience, an experience I will cherish greatly.
Burrata, Prosciutto & Spicy Eggplant Panino. Today's Special.
A trip to the Italian Center Shop gives us the great ingredients for this panino. The line up of the ingredients, starting from bottom to top: a crusty sub bun rustic and crusty especially if warmed up a bit; the spread, a well known sandwich enhancer in these parts, red pepper sauce; some nice eggplant bought at the Old Strathcona Farmers Market nicely sauteed with olive oil, salt, pepper, and peperoncino; arugula straight from my parents garden; and back to ITC for the star of the show, some beautiful prosciutto, and that creamy soft burrata cheese.
Let's get this bad boy together!
A good sharp knife is needed to slice this bread in half. With a butter knife spread the red pepper sauce, don't be shy. The next layer is that soft spicy flavorful eggplant accompanied by the melt in your mouth salt cured prosciutto imported from Parma, Italy, and again don't be shy about the quantity. That wonderful burrata to top the prosciutto, and then the arugula. You might notice that there were some holes in the arugula, our garden critters got to the arugula a bit and as I am an equal opportunity employer, the critters live on and Nicoletta and I wash vigorously the arugula, lol. Top the arugula with some nice extra virgin cold pressed olive oil, salt and pepper. Slap the top of the bun on. Wrap it in some paper and open wide and get ready for the flavor explosion.
The crumbs falling to the ground from the crusty surface of the bun and in comes that nice billowy bread inside with the red pepper sauce coming in out of the bread work. The eggplant softly butter-like texture, spicy but no too spicy. The prosciutto sneaking in there with that sweet 'n salty thing, then the burrata, creamy, soft, milky sensations hit with the peppery notes in the arugula. That crude olive oil giving some earthiness to this homegrown arugula.
This panino is amazing bite after bite until the very sad end when it is gone. Panini are great options for meals: quick, easy, and super uber delicious. A fan favorite in our household.
P.S. Stay tuned, this Panini inspiration lives on in a few other combinations we have created for future posts. I think you will enjoy these also.
Buon Appetito!
Song of the day: "You're gonna miss me" Lulu and the Lampshades.
Note to the reader: panino (italian noun, singular); panini (italian noun, plural).
PrintBurrata, Prosciutto & Spicy Eggplant Panino
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: 2 servings 1x
Ingredients
- 1 rustic crusty torpedo bun
- 2 tbsp store bought red peppers sauce spread
- 4 thinly sliced prosciutto di Parma slices
- 1 medium burrata cheese
- ½ cup arugula washed and spun dry
- 1 small eggplant
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- salt and pepper to taste
- ½ teaspoon chili flakes
Instructions
- Wash and dice eggplant into nice small bite size pieces.
- In a saute pan heat up 2 tablespoon olive oil.
- Toss in chili flakes.
- Drop in eggplant and season with salt and pepper.
- Saute till eggplant is soft and a bit mushy, adding a bit of water to steam out the eggplant juices. Set aside.
- Cut torpedo bun in half lengthwise and heat in a 350° F oven for 5 minutes.
- Take out of oven.
- Spread the red pepper sauce on both sides of the bread.
- Spread a layer of eggplant next.
- Place the prosciutto on the bottom half of bread and sauce and eggplant.
- Cut burrata into thin to medium slices and top with prosciutto.
- Place arugula on top of burrata and drizzle some olive oil on to it.
- Sprinkle with some crushed sea salt and black pepper.
- Top with bun.
- Wrap in paper.
- Ready to serve.
And here's another good panino from an older post:
Disclosure: All links in our post are NOT affiliate links. They are only about products or places we normally purchase and like.
When I am not cooking, I enjoy playing musical instruments, singing, writing. I have learned over the years to live in gratitude and enjoy the moment.
Meaghan says
I have just drooled on my keyboard... There is nothing better than burrata, but put it in a crusty torpedo bun with prosciutto holy wow!! I may need to leave work and go to the Italian Centre because nothing else is going to satisfy me for lunch now 😉
Thank you Meaghan, what a lovely comment to read. I know it is terrible to have those cravings but the good thing is the Italian Center is open late,. I loved the part about drooling on the keyboard I had such a visual and was laughing in my office. I think people were questioning what I was having for lunch, lol.
Have a wonderful night and have fun at the Italian center.
Loreto
Dana says
Oh Loreto, this looks amazing! Italians sure know how to make an amazing sandwich. (Who am I kidding? Italians make everything amazing!)
I love the photos and the writing. It must be so much fun to blog together, you and Nicoletta! I wish I could cajole my husband into it, but you can't force a passion onto someone. Haha. He likes eating the results, so I guess that's okay too.
Lol thank you. Its all that passion us Italians have, we have to channel it somewhere. To answer your question about blogging together yes it is a lot of fun and makes it a hell of a lot easier. Have a wonderful weekend!
Loreto
Gloria @ Homemade & Yummy says
Wow this is my kind of sandwich. Love the bread, cheese, arugula, eggplant...love it all. Now you have me wanting this for dinner tonight!
Hi Gloria
Your comment has brought all the memories of this sandwich back and now I have a dilemma. A craving for a panino, and no ingredients. Solution trip to the Italian store.
Sean says
Loreto, this looks like the absolute PERFECT sandwich. Burrata is so good, but you have to treat it with respect, and you have definitely done that. Every element of this is just perfect to me, from the eggplant to the prosciutto to the bread, and I want one right now. Spectacular work, and as always a pleasure seeing what you two are up to in the kitchen!
Hi Sean, you are too kind and I thank you from the bottom of my heart for this comment. I believe it is so important to respect ingredients and have them all participate in the sandwich. Nicoletta and I couldn't wait to sink our teeth into this one, and it was marvelous. Thanks again it is comments like these that make us go the distance.
Have a wonderful Saturday Sean!
Cheers
Loreto
Kathy @ Beyond the Chicken Coop says
This is a beautiful looking sandwich!
Hello Kathy, thank you it was a lot of fun to create, and most of all to eat. I don't know there is something in Italy when you watch someone eating a panino it just makes you so hungry!
have a great weekend.
Loreto.
Julia says
Okay, got to confess, I didn't know what Burrata was! So, I spent the past 15 minutes reading about it. At a glance I just thought it was fresh mozzarella. I have never seen this cheese around here where we live and would love to give it a try whenever I find it. Now, I have been educated. The sandwich looks delicious. What a fantastic combination.
Welcome to Burrata 101, lol. I am glad you found what burrata is. It is so creamy on the inside it is like a stuffed fresh mozzarella. Love this cheese and it is so great for Panini's. Thank you so much for you time and comment we really appreciate it.
Have a great day!
P.S. I hope you find some burrata so your practicum on burrata can be completed, lol.
Leslie Rossi | alifewellconsumed says
this is my kind of sandwich!
Leslie
http://alifewellconsumed.com
Thank you Leslie, it was really good and we have more of this type of Panino, inspired by our travels to Italy.
Stay Tuned!
Have a most wonderful day!
Loreto.