Cacio e Pepe Panzanella With Corn & Burrata

• porzioni: 4 servings
• tempo di preparazione: 15 minutes
• tempo totale: 30 minutes

Ingredienti

3/4 cup (65 grams) finely grated Pecorino Romano

1/3 cup boiling water

1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil

2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper, or more to taste (I like a full tablespoon!)

10 ounces crusty bread (such as ciabatta), torn into bite-sized pieces (about 7 cups in total)

3 cups fresh corn kernels (cut from about 4 ears of corn)

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved

2 cups to 3 cups baby arugula

1 cup fresh basil leaves, small leaves left whole, or large leaves roughly torn

8 ounces to 10 ounces burrata or good-quality fresh mozzarella, at cool room temperature

Freshly grated Pecorino Romano, for serving

Istruzioni

To make the dressing: Add the Pecorino to a large bowl, and whisk in the boiling water until the cheese is melted and evenly incorporated, about 15 to 30 seconds. Slowly whisk in the extra-virgin olive oil until emulsified, then add the black pepper. Reserve 1/4 cup of the dressing for assembling the salad (Step 5).

Add the bread and corn to a sheet pan lined with parchment or a silicon mat. Season with a few big pinches of salt, then add the remaining dressing. (Don’t rinse the bowl you used for the dressing—you’ll use it in Step 4!) Using your hands, toss until the bread and corn are thoroughly coated on all sides with the dressing.

Place the sheet pan in a cold oven, and heat to 375 degrees F. When the oven reaches temp, check the croutons. If they’re browning nicely, remove the sheet pan from the oven and flip them and stir the corn. (If not, keep baking for a few minutes longer.) After you’ve flipped the croutons, bake about 4 to 6 minutes longer (but could be a little longer or shorter depending on your oven), or until they’re golden and crispy on the outside, but still a little soft in some parts from the dressing. As they cool, they’ll continue to crisp up.

Meanwhile, add the halved cherry tomatoes to the large bowl you used for the dressing. Season with a few pinches of salt and pepper, then gently toss them so they’re coated in any residual dressing clinging to the bowl.

After the croutons and corn have cooled for a few minutes, toss in the tomatoes and arugula, and drizzle a little more of the dressing over the entire salad. Add the basil and big torn pieces of burrata or fresh mozzarella—then top with more grated Pecorino and black pepper, to taste. (Alternatively, assemble the salad on your favorite serving platter.) Serve at room temperature.