Jim’s mozzarella in pizza dough with anchovy and caper dressing

By: Jim McDougall, Stefano de Pieri
From: Nuovo Mondo
Makes: 4
Photographer: Alan Benson

Jim: My friend Davide Barbisan, used to make mozzarella in carrozza on the paddle steamer avoca when we both lived in Mildura and I was a young, impressionable cook. His food inspired me, not because it was technically amazing but because it was so perfect in its simplicity and freshness, and always presented itself as a benchmark to my own cooking. My mozzarella in pizza dough is a homage to Davide’s recipe. I have adapted it using pizza dough, and although the recipe is a departure from the original, it is great to eat and good fun to make.

Ingredients

Quantity	Ingredient
8	good-quality anchovy fillets
16	baby bocconcini
1 quantity	Simple pizza dough
2	free-range egg yolks, lightly whisked
	sesame seeds, for sprinkling

Anchovy and caper dressing

Quantity	Ingredient
100g	butter, melted
3	good-quality anchovy fillets, finely chopped
1 tbsp	capers, rinsed and drained
2 tbsp	red wine vinegar

Method

Preheat the oven to 190°C. Line a baking tray with baking paper.
Cut the anchovies in half crosswise and, using your thumb, push one into the centre of each bocconcini.
Divide the pizza dough into 16 equal-sized portions and roll out into rounds. Place a bocconcini in the middle of each round. Bring the dough up over each bocconcini, fold over at the top, then press together to seal and enclose the bocconcini.
Place the bocconcini balls, seam side down, on the prepared tray. Lightly brush the egg yolk over the top of each to coat, then sprinkle with sesame seeds. Leave to prove in a warm place for 5 minutes.
Bake the cheese balls in the oven for 10–15 minutes, or until golden and crisp.
Meanwhile, make the anchovy and caper dressing. Heat a small saucepan over high heat and, when it is very hot, add the butter and cook until brown and nutty. Add the anchovy and capers – they will sizzle a little bit when you add them. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool, then add the vinegar and stir to combine.
Serve the warm mozzarella balls drizzled with the anchovy and caper dressing.