When I opened the Osteria, Joe Bastianich told me that one of his favorite combinations was fried mozzarella stuffed with anchovies—while I certainly trusted the guy and know he has great taste—let’s just say that the combination sounded less than delicious to me. But since Joe said so, I tried it—and I loved it. What I didn’t know is that bufala and anchovies are actually a classic pairing. Here, the anchovies are in the bagna cauda, a delicious sauce from the Piedmont region and whose name translates “warm bath.” In addition to anchovies, garlic, and olive oil, my version contains lemon and butter. Bottarga, a delicacy of Sicily and Sardinia, is cured pressed fish roe (usually from mullet or tuna) that has a pungent, fishy taste and is used sparingly, finely grated or very thinly sliced over dishes. You can purchase bottarga from specialty food stores and online food sources. This recipe for bagna cauda makes 1 cup—more than you will need. Spoon the leftovers over grilled fish or vegetables.

　　

Ingredients

serves 4

　　

For the Croutons

3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

　　1/4 pound crustless sourdough bread, cut into 1/4-inch cubes

　　Kosher salt

　　

For the Bagna Cauda

1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter

　　1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

　　10 anchovy fillets (preferably salt-packed), rinsed, backbones removed if salt-packed, and finely chopped

　　5 garlic cloves, minced

　　1 lemon

　　2 tablespoons thinly sliced fresh Italian parsley leaves

　　

For Serving

4 2- to 2 1/2-ounce balls of mozzarella di bufala (or one 8- to 10-ounce ball, cut into 2- to 2 1/2-ounce segments)

　　1 ounce red mullet bottarga

　　4 whole parsley leaves (optional)

　　

Step 1

To make the croutons, heat the oil in a large sauté pan over medium-high heat until it is almost smoking and slides easily in the pan, 2 to 3 minutes. Line a plate with paper towels. Add the bread cubes to the oil and cook for 30 to 40 seconds, until they are golden brown. Use a slotted spoon to remove the croutons to the prepared plate and season them with salt. If the croutons appear greasy, transfer them to a clean paper towel to drain further.

　　

Step 2

To make the bagna cauda, heat the butter, olive oil, anchovies, and garlic in a large sauté pan over medium heat until the anchovies dissolve and the garlic is soft and fragrant, 5 to 6 minutes, stirring constantly so the garlic does not brown. Reduce the heat to low and cook the bagna cauda for another 2 minutes to meld the flavors. Proceed if you are going to use the bagna cauda right away. If you are preparing to use it later, set the bagna cauda aside to cool to room temperature, transfer it to an airtight container, and refrigerate for up to one week.

　　

Step 3

When you are ready to serve the bagna cauda, use a lemon zester to zest long strips from the lemon. Cut the two ends off the lemon and stand the zested lemon upright on a cutting board and use a serrated knife to cut away the peel, trying to maintain the integrity of the lemon shape while making sure that no pith remains. Cut the lemon into individual fillets, by cutting on either side of the membrane, removing and discarding the seeds as you go, and coarsely chop the fillets. Warm the bagna cauda over medium heat and stir in the lemon zest, chopped lemon fillets, and parsley.

　　

Step 4

To assemble the dish, place one ball or segment of mozzarella on each of four large salad plates or soup plates. Spoon 2 tablespoons of bagna cauda over each serving of mozzarella and sprinkle with the croutons, dividing them evenly and allowing them to fall over and around the mozzarella. Peel and discard the skin from the bottarga and use a microplane or another fine grater to grate a light layer of bottarga over each serving of mozzarella. Lay a parsley leaf on top of each serving of mozzarella, and serve.

　　

Suggested Wine Pairing

Step 5

Roero Arneis (Piedmont)

　　The Mozza Cookbook