Cooking Local with Cookes Food - La Latteria
Another mouthwatering local supplier with Sophie and Nicole of Cookes Food, today we're visiting La Latteria. La Latteria create their own Italian style cheeses which are stretched and shaped daily in their cheese laboratory. Amazing! -Jenny x
Photo - John Deer
I can’t remember where I was dining when my entire experience was eclipsed by the taste of the first Australian Fiore di Latte that came from La Latteria. I had been spoilt working in London with the plethora of Italian cheeses that I tasted. Stand-outs like burrata, burratina, buffalo mozzarellas that I took for granted, not realising that when I came to Melbourne I would be faced with some of the worst versions of mozzarella one could endure.
Photos - John Deer
When I tasted that first soft booby-like ball I was hooked, and I got the details of Georgio Linguanti, whom I called the next day. I was happy to discover that, like many of our local suppliers, he was extremely passionate about what he does - his business is small and he's very selective about whom he supplies to!
Photos - John Deer
Since then I have had many brilliant experiences working with this company. We catered a country wedding in Warrambeen where we served antipasto for two, every guest could share a perfect plate of marinated coloured peppers, heirloom tomatoes and grilled quail with two perfect soft balls of fiore. It was a perfect plate of food to share between two people. Another notable cheese of theirs is the scamorzza that I tend to fry, dress with lemon and smear on sourdough… amazing with a glass of sweet wine, our pick the Medhurst Frances. More on that tomorrow!
La Latteria 104 Elgin Street Carlton VIC 3053 (03) 9347 9009
Photos - John Deer
Pan fried La Latteria Scamorza Affumicata with lemon, sour dough bruschetta (with a glass of Medhurst Frances white wine!)
4 disks of Scamorza Affumicata cheese (cut as thick or as thin as you like) 2 tbsp corn flour or bison flour 2 slices of VERY good sourdough 2 tbsp good quality olive oil A mitt full of plain rocket Zest of 1 lemon Juice of ½ a lemon Garnish with ½ leftover lemon wedge
Photos - John Deer
Sprinkle your bench top with the flour of your choice. Coat your disks of Scamorza Affumicata with the flour and set aside.
Heat some oil in a pan and allow to become quite hot. Place your Scamorza Affumicata in the pan and allow to brown on one side, then gently flip. If it gets a bit messy you can place under the grill – cooking is not an exact science, so don’t take it too seriously.
Sprinkle cheese with a little sea salt and set aside. Toast your bread well and drizzle with the olive oil and lemon zest, dress a little rocket in the same way.
Place your Scamorza Affumicata on a plate and spread the rocket atop. Cut your sourdough into fingers and place on the side. Place a wedge of lemon on the side of the plate and when your ready to eat – squeeze straight over the top!
Enjoy these smoky, salty and zesty flavours with something sweet – like a glass of dessert wine!
