Amalfi Baked Lemons (limoni di amalfi cotti al forno)

What a beautiful, sunny looking antipasto to make when the day looks so dull and dreary!  Traditional fresh mozzarella is usually sold in containers of brine, shaped into delicate balls. Fresh mozzarella can be purchased in Italian specialty shops, cheese markets, and some natural foods and grocery stores. Originally made from the milk of water buffalo, and called mozzarella di bufala, mozzarella is now most often made from cows’ milk, and is referred to as fior di latte. However, once you’ve experienced buffalo mozzarella, there’s a big difference in taste and personally I enjoy buffalo mozzarella over fior di latte.  Fresh mozzarella should have a sweet, creamy, milky taste and should have a soft, yielding, pull apart texture.

Serves 4
recipe from Jamie’s Italy
print this recipe

2 large unwaxed lemons
1 or 2 150g balls of buffalo mozzarella, thickly sliced
2 anchovy fillets
2 ripe cherry tomatoes, halved
salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 dried red chili, crumbled (optional)

Preheat oven to 200c (400f).  Remove the ends of the lemons and discard them.  Cut the lemons in half crossways giving your four 2.5cm (1 inch) thick discs.  Use a small knife to remove the lemon flesh leaving you with 4 hollow circles of skin. 

The mozzarella is obviously going to melt and ooze out when baked.  In Italy, a lemon leaf is placed underneath each one to keep everything in place, but it’s fine to use a square of greaseproof paper to do the same thing.  Lay a greaseproof paper square or lemon leaf on a baking tray and place one of the lemon skin wheels ontop.  Cut a piece of mozzarella to fit inside, then lay a basil leaf, half an anchovy fillet and half a cherry tomato on top with a small pinch of salt and pepper.  Add a little dried chili if you like.  Top off with another slice of mozzarella.  Do the same to the rest and cook in a preheated oven for 10-15 minutes until golden and bubbling.  Remove from oven and allow to cool for a few minutes.  Serve with a grilled hot crostini.  Simply scoop the mozzarella out, eat with the toast and mop up any juices.  Delicious!

The Culinary Chase’s Note:  Because the only lemons I could find were relatively small, I opted to cut them in half, remove the pulp and squeezed out any juice.  I love the flavors oozing from lemon halves.  Next time I will try to find larger lemons and prepare the way Jamie did.  Enjoy!