Burrata and Prosciutto Focaccia: Perfect as a Shared Appetizer, Snack or Delicious Lunch
Burrata and prosciutto focaccia is a wonderful creation which I discovered at La Goletta at the Grand Hotel Villa Serbelloni in Bellagio on Lake Como. You can re-create this in your home with my recipe!
Are you salivating? Want to make this Burrata and Prosciutto Focaccia at home?
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The super simple recipe follows below, but first let me tell you where these gorgeous pictures were taken.
Last May, during our European trip, I surprised my mother with an overnight stay at the exquisite Grand Hotel Villa Serbelloni on Lake Como in Bellagio. Soon after our arrival, we went for lunch at the casual, poolside restaurant, La Goletta. After perusing their regional Italian menu, my mother chose a pasta dish with sundried tomatoes, olives, capers and broccoli, while I chose the focaccia.
Another light Italian meal that’s perfect for lunch: spaghetti aglio e olio.
This particular focaccia was a bit different than a typical focaccia that you would probably think of, and it was filled with melted burrata cheese and topped with slices of lovely prosciutto! After my first bite, I knew I’d have to make it when I returned home; it was just heavenly.
I did a little research as I wasn’t convinced that this was actually focaccia. A lot of googling brought me to a bread from the Puglia region called “puccia” which looks much more like this filled bread than focaccia. I’m sure my friend Amy Riolo, or online friend, Frank, from Memorie di Angelina would know (please chime in in the comments below if you read this).
Try this easy bresaola appetizer when you’re short on time.
I did make it at home and it’s super easy, especially if you make the recipe for no knead bread. This is my version of the La Goletta’s Burrata and Prosciutto Focaccia. Not bad, right?
I’m sorry if you tire of me saying this, but I promise you, this gorgeous creation will taste “blah” (or worse) if you do not use top quality ingredients! I use organic flour for the dough, fabulous Angelo and Franco Burrata, and authentic, Prosciutto di Parma DOP (I get it at Costco).
Try this easy antipasto: prosciutto and melon.
If you can’t get similar quality ingredients, I would suggest not making this burrata and prosciutto focaccia, it truly will make that much of a difference.
Burrata and Prosciutto Focaccia
inspired by the dish at La Goletta Ristorante at The Grand Hotel Villa Serbelloni in Bellagio, Italy serves 4
FULL PRINTABLE RECIPE BELOW
Ingredients
- no knead bread dough (make it the night before)
- good quality burrata
- Prosciutto di Parma DOP (Costco carries it)
- extra virgin olive oil
Cut the dough into about 4 to 6 equal sized pieces, shape each into a ball. Let them rest, covered, for about 15 minutes.
~~PREHEAT THE OVEN TO 495°F (257°C)~~
Take one ball and knock it down with your fingers, as if you’re making a pizza, but this will be much thicker. Repeat with each ball of dough.
Place the dough onto a silicone mat lined (or corn meal/semolina sprinkled) baking tray and drizzle with a little extra virgin olive oil. Use a pastry brush to lightly cover the dough with the oil.
Place the tray in the middle of the preheated oven (when using two trays, switch them half-way through baking). Bake for about 5 minutes then quickly flatten them as they puff up, and return to the oven. Bake another 5 minutes and check them again.
Remove from the oven once they are golden brown on top (and underneath). TURN THE OVEN OFF. Place on cooling rack, and allow to cool until you are able to cut them in half without burning your hands.
Spread some burrata on one half of each focaccia, then top with the other part of the bread. Place back into the oven, with the heat off, and allow the burrata to start to melt (just a couple of minutes). Remove from the oven and cut into six equal pieces.
Put the burrata filled focaccia on plates and top each of the 6 pieces with half a slice of prosciutto and serve immediately, while still warm.
Buon appetito!
For information regarding the outstanding Grand Hotel Villa Serbelloni please click on the photo below for opening times. For information on the restaurant, click here: La Goletta (open to the public).
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Burrata and Prosciutto Focaccia: Perfect for Lunch, a Snack or a Delicious Lunch
Ingredients
- 1 recipe of no-knead bread dough (make it the night before)
- 1 lb burrata
- 2 packages DOP Prosciutto di Parma (Costco carries it)
- 1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil (as needed to drizzle)
Instructions
- PREHEAT THE OVEN TO 495°F (257°C)
- Following the no knead dough recipe (below) after it has risen for 12-18 hours and been knocked down into a ball with a spatula. Place it onto a floured workspace or counter.
- Cut the dough into about 4 to 6 equal sized pieces, shape each into a ball. Let them rest, covered, for about 15 minutes.
- Take one ball and knock it down with your fingers, as if you're making a pizza, but this will be much thicker. Repeat with each ball of dough.
- Place the dough onto a silicone mat lined (or corn meal/semolina sprinkled) baking tray and drizzle with a little extra virgin olive oil. Use a pastry brush to lightly cover the dough with the oil.
- Place the tray in the middle of the preheated oven (when using two trays, switch them half-way through baking). Bake for about 5 minutes then quickly flatten them as they puff up, and return to the oven. Bake another 5 minutes and check them again. Remove from the oven once they are golden brown on top (and underneath). TURN THE OVEN OFF. Place on cooling rack, and allow to cool until you are able to cut them in half without burning your hands.
- Spread some burrata on one half of each focaccia, then top with the other part of the bread. Place back into the oven, with the heat off, and allow the burrata to start to melt (just a couple of minutes). Remove from the oven and cut into six equal pieces.
- Put the burrata filled focaccia on plates and top each of the 6 pieces with ½ slice of prosciutto and serve immediately.
Notes
- Use the best quality ingredients for the best results.
Nutrition
No Knead Bread: Unbelievably Easy, Incredibly Delicious!
Special Equipment
- 1 five quart cast iron dutch oven
Ingredients
- 4 cups all-purpose flour (good quality, like King Arthur)
- ½ cups whole wheat (or omit the wheat and replace it with ½ cup / 70 gram more all purpose flour)
- 18 oz water
- 2 ½ tsp Maldon salt (salt varies in saltiness, so taste your salt)
- ¼ tsp dried yeast (or 3 g fresh yeast, preferably not instant or quick-rise)
- 1 Tbsp wheat germ (optional, or crushed flaxseed)
Instructions
- (See my tips in the notes section below): Mix all the ingredients together in a large bowl until everything comes together. This will only take a few minutes, maximum.
- Cover with a plate or plastic wrap and let rise for 12 to 18 hours or until it's risen (about 4 times in mass and is soft and bubbly.)
- Using a spatula, mix down the dough/batter to remove all the air from it and form into a nice round in the bowl.
- Put a tea towel on the countertop and sprinkle liberally with flour and some other grain like wheat germ or oat bran to keep the dough from sticking to the cloth. Don't be shy or the loaf will stick.
- Using the spatula, dump the dough onto the floured cloth, put the edges of the cloth over the top and allow to rise for 2 hours.
Baking:
- Preheat the oven AND THE POT for 20 minutes (longer than when it just comes to temperature). I bake my no knead bread on convection, 495 °F (260°C) for 30 mins., then lower to 465°F (240°C),
- When the oven is at the 495 temperature for about 10 minutes, carefully remove the pot from the oven and put it on the counter near the dough. Lift both sides of the tea towel and dump the loaf into the hot pan. Place the lid onto the pot and put into the oven and bake for 30 minutes. After half an hour, REMOVE THE LID, and bake for 8-11 minutes longer, depending on your preference of color and crustiness.)
- If you don't have a convection oven: 500°F (260°C) or as hot as your oven will go, then lower to about 475°F (245°C); adjust according to your own oven.
- Carefully, remove the pot from the oven, and the loaf from the pot immediately, and place on a cooling rack.
- Cool for at least 3 hours before slicing.
Notes
- PLEASE NOTE: THIS RECIPE REQUIRES THAT YOU PLAN AHEAD! I usually mix my dough in the evening (9 pm or later) then when it is ready in the morning or afternoon, I put it on the cloth to rise for 2 hours and bake it. If you cannot be home for 3 hours during the time that the bread is risen, plan to make it at a different time.
- The ingredients above make a loaf 50% larger than Jim Lahey's recipe. It will be a cross between batter & dough.
- Use a spatula instead of your hand--much easier, and less messy.
- After the 12-18 hrs. just work the dough into a loaf shape right in the bowl.
- Drop the dough onto the cloth--again, less mess; then sprinkle with more flour and oat/wheat bran.
- MAKE SURE TO LET THE LOAF COOL AT LEAST 3 HOURS BEFORE SLICING!
Nutrition
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How large ( in inches) do you spread each of the 4-6 pieces of dough prior to baking?
Hi Dawna, about 7″-8″ in diameter, as they always shrink a bit, and you don’t want the bread too, too thick. Let me know how they turn out. ;)
Prosciutto is a gift from the gods…This is my kind of sandwich, creamy, salty and crunchy all in one bite! Your bread looks amazing too.
Thanks, Cynthia! We should have this for lunch one day soon!
Whatever you want to call, this looks awfully good! Especially enjoyed lakeside in fine weather…
As for the name, personally I’ve not seen this presentation before. I used to frequent a place in Rome that served focaccia with mozzarella and freshly sliced prosciutto—but everything separately, so you could combine things are you liked. Still, personally I’d have no problem with the name. Focaccia is still focaccia, even if you split it open and stuff it.
Thanks for your take on this, Frank. I’ve never heard of Puccia, so wondered if you had. The bread is lovely and you know what they say about a rose still smelling as sweet if it had another name. ;)
So curious as to what made you think it wasn’t focaccia. Was there a textural difference? Either way, it looks simply amazing and, as I always say, the best food is often the simplest! Brava!
The focaccia I know is stretched out like a pizza and dimpled with a finger and usually topped with oil and rosemary, for example. I would never have called this bread a focaccia and I do think it is more like puccia after my research. Have yet to hear from the experts, though, David. You should give this a try (it has no garlic)! ;)
I definitely will try it! It reminds me a lot of “panini” we got in the Cinque Terre, although it was plain mozzarella and not your fabulous burrata! And I can just taste this with some San Daniele prosciutto!
Yes, burrata is definitely a major step up from mozzarella! Let me know if you try it!
Do you think this recipe could be adapted to wheat/gluten free? Is so, which flours would you recommend?
Thanks for posting. I may have to cheat with this bread
Oh goodness, Elaine, I honestly don’t think a GF bread is ever going to be half as good as this one. Cakes and cookies, yes, but this type of bread, it’s all about gluten. I’m not a prolific GF baker, so I’d hate to guess and steer you the wrong way. You could check with my friend Sheena at http://www.Noshtastic.com as she’s a big GF baker. Yes, sorry to say, but cheating would be the easiest!