The best thing about the Marinated Mozzarella is that you can play around with it and create your own measurements to fit your need.

This recipe for Marinated Mozzarella is less recipe, more method. You can change this up in so many ways, but this is one way that I make this appetizer. You grab a container of some sort. I am sure that you are shocked that I am using a Mason jar. You know how I love a Mason jar. You put some bite size cheese in the jar. Some herbs and spices. Pour some olive oil on top of it. Let it sit and let the flavors fall in love with other. Hard? I think not. Delicious? Oh. Yeah.

I love this in the summer and usually always have some in my fridge. I have been known to plunk down a loaf of crusty bread and some balsamic vinegar with this marinated cheese and call it dinner. Don’t hate.

If you are feeling really fancy, toss this with some lettuce and other veggies and call it a salad. Or, even better, slice some tomatoes and drizzle the marinating oil over said tomatoes and top with the cheese. Or even better yet, put the tomatoes and cheese on pasta and add some chopped basil and some garlic bread. I need to just stop.

You see what I am saying though. Crazy possibilities.

Ingredients //

Bocconcini mozzarella (the little balls of fresh mozzarella, you can use the big ones, just cut them into bite size pieces)
Lemon peel
Salt
Peppercorns
Garlic cloves
Basil leaves
Red pepper flakes

I am not giving exact measurements because the quantity is going to depend on various factors. How much cheese do you have? What size jar? You can play with the flavors. Want a more garlicky cheese? Add more garlic. You love lemon, add more lemon, maybe a little juice. You catch my drift, right?

Instructions //

Step 1:

In your jar, add about one third of the cheese. Layer in the basil leaves, peppercorns, red pepper flakes, and garlic cloves. I used about 5-6 cloves and I just cut them in half. Sprinkle with salt.

Step 2:

Keep layering the ingredients until your jar is full. How easy is this?

Isn’t this beautiful?

Step 3 :

Pour a good quality olive oil over the top until the jar is full. Put the lid on the jar and shake it up. Put the jar in the fridge for at least two hours before you are going to serve it. You can keep this in there for about a week I would say. Give it a shake every now and again. Take the jar out about 30 minutes before you are going to serve this. The olive oil will solidify a bit and will return to normal again when it gets back to room temperature.

Step 4:

Pour the cheese and oil into a bowl and serve with some toasted bread. Yum. When bocconcini goes on sale (like this was at Whole Foods) I always buy a few containers. This makes a great make ahead appetizer for a potluck or any party. Tie a cute ribbon or some raffia around it and it makes a great hostess gift.