When we stopped by Firefly's kitchens to talk to Jason Travi last week, the chef talked about what he's been up to lately, the relative joys of recycling restaurant fryer oil in his old Mercedes, and Spago's dress code (or lack thereof). Afterwards, Travi made some of his burrata fritters, lovely golden bits of cheese-laced batter that he'd fried up in a smallish pan on the stove. No fryers used in this recipe, which is not so good for his gas mileage, but good for those of us wanting to make the recipe at home. Turn the page for some pictures (visual aid!), and the recipe.

Burrata fritters with proscuitto

From: Chef Jason Travi of Firefly

Note: Travi says that the fritters deflate, so they should be served immediately. The chef uses grapeseed or soy bean oil, but any low flavor high smoke point oil will work. If you don't fry up all of the batter, the additional batter will batter will last for 3 days in the refrigerato, covered tightly.

Makes: about 35 fritters

Fritters:

1 1-pound tub of burrata (Travi uses Gioia)

2 teaspoons baking powder

cayenne, to taste

salt, to taste

2 eggs

3/4 cups all-purpose flour

1. Combine all ingredients except for the flour in a medium mixing bowl until homogenous. Slowly add the flour until well-combined. Chill until cold.

2. Fill a medium-sized heavy-bottomed pot with grapeseed oil and heat over high heat until the oil reaches 350 degrees.

3. With a spoon make fritters the size of a quarter, they will expand when they hit the hot oil. Fry for about 40 seconds, or until the fritters are golden brown, and remove from the oil

and place on paper towels to drain the oil.

Assembly, ingredients given per serving:

2-3 ounces thinly sliced proscuitto or any cured ham

a handful of arugula

extra virgin olive oil, to taste

sea salt, to taste

about a 1/2 ounce aged balsamic vinegar

4 fritters

1. Place the proscuitto on each plate. Dress the arugula leaves in extra virgin olive oil with a pinch of salt and arrange on top of the proscuitto. Garnish the dish with aged balsamic vinegar. Put about 4 just-fried fritters on the plate and serve immediately.

Credit: A. Scattergood

Credit: A. Scattergood

Credit: A. Scattergood

Credit: A. Scattergood

Credit: A. Scattergood

Credit: A. Scattergood

Credit: A. Scattergood

Credit: A. Scattergood

Credit: A. Scattergood

Credit: A. Scattergood

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