Marinated mozzarella balls are perfect for Merende (small bites).
You have probably seen them in the deli section of your local supermarket but before you even consider placing them in your shopping cart, I suggest you first read the label.
If one of the ingredients is olive oil, put the container back on the shelf. The ingredient you want to see is Extra-Virgin Olive Oil. As you may recall olive oil (according to US labels) is a refined blend of vegetable oil.
Not only is this recipe less expensive than the product in the market, but it is also healthier, easy to make and definitely tastes fresher. I used Italian parsley, rosemary and basil because those are the herbs growing in my yard. This is a delicious combination but use what you like. If you can’t find the small mozzarella balls, use the larger ones and cut into cubes.
Ingredients:
- 1 tablespoon fresh Italian parsley, chopped
- 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, chopped
- 1 tablespoon fresh basil, chopped
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons lemon juice
- 4 tablespoons Extra-Virgin Olive Oil (Robust)
- 8-ounces fresh ciliegine mozzarella balls, drained
- In a small bowl, combine all of the ingredients except the mozzarella. Whisk until well blended.
- Add the mozzarella balls, (or cubes) gently stirring to coat each ball with the marinade.
- Chill in the refrigerator an hour or two.
- To serve, remove from refrigerator 30 minutes prior to eating. Use within 3-4 days.
- Sometimes I add grape or cherry tomatoes (cut in half) for a quick, flavorful salad. This is a terrific simple dish to bring to potlucks too.
