New potato salad with anchovy, egg and grilled smoked cheese
This is a delicious salad where all the ingredients go together wonderfully. Scamorza, as with all smoked cheeses, only tastes good grilled when still hot or warm, or it will turn rubbery. Yorkshire Wensleydale, Irish Ardsallagh or Gouda, all in their smoked versions, can be substituted for Scamorza.
SERVES 4
600g small new potatoes, washed
8 anchovy fillets in oil, well drained
4 slices of smoked Scamorza cheese, about 1cm thick
A little light olive oil, for oiling
2 hard-boiled eggs, peeled and cut in half lengthways
8 green olives
1 bunch of chives, cut into short lengths
A handful of small oregano sprigs
Sea salt and freshly ground pepper
For the mayonnaise
2 egg yolks
2 tsp Dijon mustard
80ml light olive oil
4 tsp white wine vinegar
Add the potatoes to a pan of salted water, bring to the boil and cook in their skins until just tender. Drain and leave until cool enough to handle, then peel away the skins with a small knife. Halve any larger potatoes, leave small ones whole.
To make the mayonnaise, put the egg yolks into a bowl with the mustard and a little salt and pepper and mix together using a small balloon whisk. Incorporate the olive oil a little at a time in a thin trickle, stirring constantly with the whisk. As soon as it is all incorporated, add the wine vinegar and season to taste with salt and a generous grinding of pepper. The mayonnaise should be not too stiff; add a few drops of warm water to let it down if necessary.
Preheat a griddle pan (or grill or barbecue).
Put the cooked potatoes into a large bowl with the anchovy fillets. Add the mayonnaise and mix gently, using a spatula.
Just before serving, very lightly oil the slices of Scamorza then griddle (or grill or barbecue) for 20 seconds on each side, using your chosen method. Set aside on a warmed plate.
To serve, tip the potato salad into a large, shallow serving dish and add the hard-boiled egg halves. Scatter the olives on top of the salad and sprinkle over the chives and oregano. Arrange the just-grilled, hot slices of Scarmorza around the edge of the dish and serve at once.