Baked Tomino cheese with valerian and dried fruit

From the village of Mombarcaro your vision can expand from the Alps to the Ligurian Sea.The Peak of the Langhe -as the village is called- is the ideal place to penetrate the essence of this Piedmont cheese. In fact, from this village, set at an altitude of about one thousand metres above sea level, you can hear the impetuous mistral clashing with the ambiguous south-west wind and you can see the boundless pastureland of generous grass feeding the cows that provide the milk for Tomino cheese. Savour a bite: it is a freshly milked cream, protected by a small basket and made with century-old skill.Then delight yourself as you wish: you can eat it fresh, sauté, grilled, with honey, bacon or dried fruit. Tomino cheese is not going to disappoint you.

 

INGREDIENTS
(serve 4)
4 tiny Tomino wheels
3 eggs
150g/5.3oz valerian
120g/4.2oz dried fruit
3 tbsps acacia honey
1 tbsp mustard
1 sprig thyme
evo oil q.s.
flour q.s.
breadcrumbs q.s.
salt, pepper q.s.

Preheat the oven to a 160°C/320°F temperature in convection mode. Clean the white surface of the Tomino wheels by scraping them with the blunt side of a knife. Rub the cheese in the flour, then in the beaten eggs and, to finish with, in breadcrumbs. Bread carefully, repeating the operation twice.

Take a baking tray and cover it with baking paper. Arrange your Tomino wheels. Season with salt, pepper and oil. Bake for about 6-7 minutes, making sure they do not break. Meanwhile, heat a pan to medium power on your induction hob and toast the dried fruit (almonds, hazelnuts and pine nuts) for 2 minutes.

Remove the pan from the cooking zone and season the dried fruit with honey, mustard, a pinch of salt and the thyme leaves. Dress the valerian separately. Arrange the Tomino wheels on a serving plate with the sauce and the valerian.