Sage & Bocconcini Fritters with Orange Salad

This recipe was in the Masterchef magazine, Issue 6. These fritters were a little bit fiddly to make but worth every second, as they were delicious. They would be a lovely starter.

To make the fritters you cut a slit in the side of a cherry (baby) bocconcini. Bocconcini means "little mouthfuls" and these cherry bocconcini are certainly that! Bocconcini are small, semi-soft, white, rindless unripened mild cheese easily found in most supermarkets. Into the slit you stuff a small piece of anchovy. You then place the stalk of a sage leaf into the slit and wrap the leaf around the cheese. Next you crumb the cheese with flour, egg and panko breadcrumbs which are coarse, crisp Japanese breadcrumbs found in the Asian supermarkets. 

The fritters are deep fried in rice bran oil until golden brown. Rice bran oil is a great oil for deep frying and roasting potatoes as it has a mild flavour and high smoke point. The fritters were served with a salad of segmented oranges, rocket, finely shaved fennel and finely chopped eschallots dressed with orange juice and olive oil. To add texture and flavour you can also add some deep fried sage leaves. YUM!
Rating 8-9 out of 10.