Stracciatella With Anchovies & Balsamic Peppers

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This stracciatella with anchovies & balsamic peppers recipe is a flavour-packed appetizer that brings together creamy, salty, and tangy notes. It’s great for dinner parties or as a sophisticated snack, and I like how it’s a delightful twist on traditional Italian fare.

This recipe is inspired by a dish from a Sydney restaurant called Palazzo Salato. They serve stracciatella cheese with anchovies and mini croutons (or Pangrattato). I loved it but thought it lacked something. Then I remembered my favourite way to eat anchovies – on a piece of bread topped with roasted red peppers (you know those that come in a jar) – which was introduce to me by a friend in Spain. What that stracciatella dish lacked was some acidity; the kind you get from tomatoes in a burrata or mozzarella salad.

So, I’ve recreated that stracciatella recipe with anchovies AND Balsamic red peppers. It has a delightful mix of textures and flavours (creamy, salty, tangy, a touch of sweet) and takes just about 20 minutes to prepare. Serve is as a sophisticated appetizer at a dinner table or turn it into delicious stracciatella bruschetta and serve as finger food.

👩‍🍳 If you like Italian recipes, check out my mozzarella salad with balsamic cherry tomatoes or baked Italian eggplant.

What Is Stracciatella Cheese?

Stracciatella cheese (not to be confused with Stracciatella soup or gelato) is a creamy Italian cheese made from the curds of fresh cow’s milk mozzarella mixed with cream. Its name, “to shred” in Italian, reflects its soft, slightly stringy texture.

Often found in the centre of burrata, stracciatella is perfect for spreading on bread, topping pizzas, or adding to salads. It pairs beautifully with fresh tomatoes, basil, olive oil, and a sprinkle of sea salt. If you haven’t tried it yet, it’s a must for its unique and delicious qualities!

What You’ll Need

Here is what you’ll need for this recipe with stracciatella, anchovies and balsamic peppers. Find the full measurements in the recipe card below.

Stracciatella cheese: This luxurious, rich cheese is what you find inside the burrata cheese; it has a texture of thick cream but is also a little stringy, so it has layers of firmer texture throughout. It’s mild and savoury, very rich and buttery in flavour. If you can’t find stracciatella, use fresh burrata cheese instead.
Anchovies: In my opinion, the Cantabrian anchovies from northern Spain are the best. I’ve tried them all and I’ve been to the place where they make most of the Cantabrian anchovies and they are worth the price. If you can’t get Cantabrian (e.g. Ortiz brand), get whatever origin you can get but make sure it is good quality. The slightly more expensive anchovies cost more for a reason. The really small, cheaper ones tend to be super fishy and much saltier. For this recipe, use anchovies preserved in oil.
Red bell peppers: If you’re short on time to prepare the Balsamic peppers, you could use pickled or jarred fire roasted red peppers, sliced into thin strips.
For cooking: Olive oil, balsamic vinegar, and salt.
For serving: Sliced and toasted bread. Roughly chopped croutons or large breadcrumbs to sprinkle on top.
Optional garnishes: Extra olive oil, black pepper, and sea salt.

How To Make Stracciatella With Anchovies & Balsamic Peppers

Find the full recipe and nutritional information below. Here are some handy step-by-step photos.

Step 1. Cook The Peppers

Sauté sliced red peppers in olive oil and salt, cover and cook until softened and slightly charred, about 10 minutes. Add balsamic vinegar at the end and cook briefly.

Step 2. Assemble The Dish

Spread stracciatella on a flat plate, top with a few anchovies, balsamic peppers, and croutons. Drizzle with olive oil, and sprinkle with black pepper and small pinch of sea salt.

For Bruschetta

Toast bread slices, top with stracciatella, anchovies, and peppers. Add croutons, drizzle with olive oil, and season.

Watch The Video

Recipe Tips

Balsamic Peppers: Save time by using jarred roasted red peppers.
Stracciatella Substitute: Use burrata cheese if stracciatella is unavailable.
Anchovy Quality: Opt for high-quality anchovies like Cantabrian for the best flavour.
Storage Tips: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days. Bring to room temperature before serving.

Serving Suggestions

Serve this stracciatella dish with a side of crusty bread or as bruschetta for an elegant appetizer. Pair with a crisp white wine or a light, sparkling beverage.

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Whip up this stracciatella with anchovies & balsamic peppers for an appetizer that’s both elegant and easy. The creamy stracciatella pairs beautifully with salty anchovies and tangy balsamic peppers, making it a crowd-pleaser.

Prepare the peppers: Heat a medium frying pan or a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the olive oil and sliced red peppers, and season with salt. Cover with a lid and cook for 3 minutes. Uncover, stir through, then cover again and cook for 3 more minutes. The peppers will start to get slightly charred and softened. Repeat the process and cook for 3 minutes but uncovered. The total cooking time is about 10 minutes or until the peppers are quite soft and browned. Finish by adding a tablespoon of Balsamic vinegar; stir through for 15-30 seconds and remove from heat. Set aside. PS. This can be done ahead of time!
Arrange the platter dish: Spread the stracciatella cheese on a flat plate. Arrange the anchovies and balsamic peppers on top and sprinkle with mini croutons. Drizzle with a little olive oil and finish with a few sprinkles of black pepper and sea salt (just a touch). Serve with crusty bread or toasted sourdough.
Serve as stracciatella bruschetta: Toast 8-10 small to medium slices of baguette or sourdough. Top each piece with a tablespoon of stracciatella cheese, one anchovy, and a few strips of bell pepper. Drizzle with olive oil, and sprinkle some pepper and a pinch of sea salt. A few mini croutons on top are optional.

Nutrition per serving doesn’t include without any bread.
Storage Tips: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days. Bring to room temperature before serving.
Bell peppers: If you’re short on time to prepare the Balsamic peppers, you could use pickled or jarred fire-roasted red peppers, sliced into thin strips.
Stracciatella cheese: This luxurious, rich cheese is what you find inside the burrata cheese; it has a texture of thick cream but is also a little stringy, so it has layers of firmer texture throughout. It’s mild and savoury, very rich and buttery in flavour. If you can’t find stracciatella, use fresh burrata cheese instead.
Anchovies: When it comes to these little guys, the Cantabrian anchovies from northern Spain are the best. I’ve tried them all and I’ve been to the place where they make most of the Cantabrian anchovies and they are worth the price. If you can’t get Cantabrian (e.g. Ortiz brand), get whatever origin you can get but make sure it is good quality. The slightly more expensive anchovies cost more for a reason. The really small, cheaper ones tend to be super fishy and much saltier. For this recipe, use anchovies preserved in oil.

Keywords: anchovies, appetizer with anchovies, italian appetizer, Stracciatella, Stracciatella appetizer, stracciatella bruschetta, stracciatella cheese, stracciatella cheese recipe, stracciatella recipe

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