Starter Italian antipasti-inspired
Mozzarella, olive and prosciutto eyeballs on red pesto
Meat & fish
Editorially prepared
Halloween bites of lemon-and-herb mozzarella, olives and prosciutto on red pesto. Served without heating on a shared platter as part of a meze spread. Makes 12 pieces.
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Ingredients
4 servings · metric units
The base recipe makes 12 bites, or 3 per person. When scaling up, allow one mozzarella ball and half an olive per bite. The marinating time stays the same, but preparing and assembling more pieces will take longer.
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You’ll need
sieve · kitchen paper · small bowl with a cover · fine grater · chopping board and small sharp knife · plate for prepared ingredients · spoon · serving platter · fridge
Method
0/5 stepsDry and dress the mozzarella
Drain the mozzarella and gently blot each ball with kitchen paper until no droplets of brine remain on the surface. Wash and dry the lemon, then grate the required zest, avoiding the white pith. Mix the olive oil, lemon zest and oregano in a bowl. Add the mozzarella, gently turn to coat and cover the bowl. Allow about 7 minutes.
Dry and dress the mozzarella Marinate in the fridge
Refrigerate the covered bowl for 30 minutes, starting when it goes into the fridge. Meanwhile, prepare the olives and ham in the next step. After marinating, the cheese should be cold and lightly coated in the seasoned oil; check for any pooled brine before assembly.
30:00Marinate in the fridge Prepare the olives and ham
While the cheese marinates, drain and dry the olives, then halve each one crossways so that the pepper is visible on the cut face. Divide the prosciutto into narrow strips sufficient to wrap around the sides of all the cheese balls. Allow about 5 minutes. Cover the prepared ingredients and refrigerate for the remainder of the mozzarella’s marinating time.
Prepare the olives and ham Assemble the eyeballs
Once marinating is complete, take the cheese, olives and ham out of the fridge. If the mozzarella has released liquid, lift out the balls and lightly blot their undersides without wiping away the seasoning. Make a shallow cut in the top of each ball and gently seat an olive half in it, with the pepper-filled cut face upwards. The olive should stay in place without splitting the cheese. Wrap a strip of prosciutto around the sides of each ball, leaving the white top and olive visible. Allow about 12 minutes to assemble all the bites.
Assemble the eyeballs Arrange on pesto and serve
Spread the red pesto thinly over a serving platter. Arrange the finished eyeballs on top with the olives facing upwards, leaving small gaps between them. Allow about 3 minutes to arrange and serve. Serve cold, without heating. If guests are arriving later, cover the platter without touching the olives and refrigerate until serving.
Arrange on pesto and serve
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Tips
- Dry the mozzarella thoroughly, including underneath. Wet cheese will dilute the pesto and leave liquid on the platter.
- Make shallow cuts and press the olives in gently. If a ball starts to split, do not deepen the cut.
- Assemble the bites about 30 minutes before guests arrive and refrigerate until serving. You can prepare the ingredients separately earlier the same day.
- Wrap the ham around the sides of the cheese, leaving the white top and olive exposed. This arrangement creates the eyeball appearance.
Storage
These are best served on the day they are made. Keep ingredients prepared ahead separately covered in the fridge, and blot the mozzarella again before assembly. Refrigerate the finished platter until serving. Eat leftovers that have been kept chilled the next day, following the opened products’ use-by instructions. Do not freeze: the mozzarella may release water after thawing.
Timing
Hands-on: 27 min · Cooking: 0 min · Resting: 30 min
The total allows for tasks done in parallel. The individual times can overlap.
