Try these recipes using Italian cheeses

Cheese is a favorite for many people in the kitchen and Gina Buskirk, owner of Gina's Homemade, wants to show you how to use her Italian cheeses to put a little zest in your meals. 

If you want some more of Gina's cheeses in your life, you can pop in to Gina's Homemade at 10953 N. Frank Lloyd Wright Boulevard Ste 105 or check out their website .

Scrambled Eggs w Creme Fraiche and Fresh Chives and toasted Sourdou Gina's Homemade:

·    3-4 eggs
·    1 tsp unsalted butter
·    1 tblsp Gina's Homemade creme fraiche
·    2 tsp fresh chives, chopped
·    Sea salt
·    Fresh pepper
·    Sourdou Gina's Homemade- toasted

Directions:

1.    Place cracked eggs (whole) and butter in a saucepan.
2.    Cook on Med/Hi heat constantly stirring with a spatula. Remove saucepan from heat and continue stirring.
3.    Place saucepan back on heat and continue stirring. Continue to take on and off saucepan until eggs are almost cooked, stirring the entire time.
4.    Just before eggs are cooked add 1 tbsp Gina's Homemade Crème Fraiche and continue to stir.
5.    At the very end stir in chopped fresh chives. Plate and serve with toasted Sourdou Gina's Homemade bread.
6.    Toast can be served on the side with Gina's Homemade Coarse Sea Salt Butter or with the eggs directly on top of toast. Sprinkle with sea salt and fresh pepper. 

Deconstructed burrata crostini

·    3 tbsp olive oil
·    Sea salt to taste
·    Pepper
·    3 vine tomatoes
·    Gina's Homemade 8oz Burrata
·    Crusty Italian bread
·    3/4-1 cup Balsamic vinegar
·    1 tbsp sugar

Directions:

1.    In a small saucepan add olive oil and set to Med heat. Add whole, clean vine tomatoes and let cook while preparing the balsamic glaze.
2.    In another saucepan add 1 cup balsamic vinegar and 1 tbsp sugar. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer. Stir occasionally until the vinegar is reduce to a syrup.
3.    Take off heat.
4.    Cut a thick piece of Italian bread and place it in the saucepan with the tomatoes. After a minute flip bread over.
5.    After another minute place bread, tomatoes and Gina's Homemade burrata on a plate.
6.    This can be arranged however you'd like. Top with sea salt and fresh pepper and drizzle with the balsamic glaze. The extra glaze can be saved in a squirt bottle or jar.

Gina Buskirk's Poached Figs and Ricotta

Ingredients

3/4 cup Gina's Homemade ricotta (available at AJ's, Whole Foods, and the Gina's Homemade Gourmet Market)
7 figs
1/2 cup water
2 tbsp sugar
1/4 tsp brown sugar
pinch cinnamon
balsamic vinegar reduction
fresh, local honey
sea salt (pink if available)

Instructions:

1. Clean & de-stem figs, cut in halves
2. Marinate figs in water, sugar, brown sugar, and cinnamon in a small bowl for 5-10 minutes
3. Poach figs 2-5 minutes
4. Place ricotta in the middle of plate.  Arrange figs around the Gina's Homemade ricotta.
5. Drizzle with balsamic reduction/glaze, honey.
6. Add a light sprinkle of sea salt

Gina's Homemade
10953 N Frank Lloyd Wright Blvd Ste 105
Scottsdale, AZ 85259
480-882-0787