Hot-crumbed baby mozzarella, beetroot and potato salad recipe

Nothing could be more tempting than hot crumbed mozzarella balls as the cheese melts delightfully in your mouth. Crispy potatoes and sweet beetroot add great taste and texture to this sumptuous salad.
tried and tested
Hot-crumbed baby mozzarella, beetroot and potato salad

Ingredients

75g fresh white breadcrumbs
Grated zest and juice of 1 lemon
Generous pinch of chilli flakes
Small handful fresh thyme leaves
50g plain flour
2 large free-range eggs, beaten
150g baby vegetarian mozzarella balls, drained
250g new potatoes, halved lengthways
4 tbsp olive oil
4 cooked, peeled beetroot, quartered
1 red onion, cut into wedges
2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
Vegetable oil, for deep frying
100g mixed rocket, watercress and spinach
1 tbsp pumpkin seeds, toasted

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 200°C/fan180°C/gas 6. In a medium bowl, mix the breadcrumbs, lemon zest, a few chilli flakes, a sprinkling of the thyme, and some seasoning. Place the flour in a second bowl, and the eggs in a third.
2. Pat the mozzarella balls dry with kitchen paper. Roll the mozzarella balls in flour, then dip in the egg, then roll in the breadcrumbs. Repeat in the egg and breadcrumbs to create a double layer, then set aside.
3. Put the potatoes in a roasting tin, drizzle with half the olive oil, and scatter with a few thyme leaves and a pinch of chilli flakes. Season well. Roast for 15 minutes, shaking the tin now and then. Add the beetroot and onion, drizzle with the vinegar and roast for 15 minutes more.
4. Remove the veg from the tin and set aside. Add the rest of the olive oil and a squeeze of lemon juice to the tin, and whisk to make a dressing.
5. Half fill a saucepan or deep fat fryer with vegetable oil. Just before serving, heat over a high heat until a cube of bread turns golden in 30 seconds. Using a spider strainer or slotted spoon, lower the crumbed mozzarella into the hot oil and fry for 3-4 minutes until golden brown. Remove and drain on kitchen paper.
6. Pile the salad leaves onto 4 plates, top with the roasted vegetables, and drizzle with the dressing. Top with the hot mozzarella balls, scatter with the pumpkin seeds and serve.

Nutritional info

Per serving: 566kcals, 36.2g fat (9.4g saturated), 18.7g protein, 44g carbs, 9.2g sugar, 1.1g salt
Chef's tip

You could replace the potatoes with chunks of butternut squash and use pine nuts or other seeds instead of pumpkin seeds.