So I wouldn’t call today’s post a recipe so much as a PSA. As in: this weekend while the weather is still warm and tomatoes are still in season, you MUST make this simple and insanely delicious appetizer/meal/who cares what you call it. This is the definition of summer food. No precise measurements, no fussy preparation. Just a few uncomplicated ingredients at their very best. Juicy, ripe summer tomatoes, crusty baguette toasted with olive oil, luscious, creamy burrata cheese and a sprinkling of basil. YUM. I made this twice over the past weekend- on Friday night as an appetizer and on Sunday afternoon as an al fresco lunch. And I’m dreaming of making it again this weekend. This is the kind of effortless food that encourages us to slow down and enjoy the good things, and reminds us that the good things are so simple.
So grab a baguette, a container (or two) of burrata and a couple of huge tomatoes. If you prefer to prepare this outside, or just don’t feel like turning on the oven, the bread could totally be toasted on the grill. If you can’t find burrata, of course you can substitute fresh mozzarella. Burrata is an incredibly soft and creamy fresh cheese that resembles mozzarella on the exterior but is filled with cream inside. It definitely is worth a trip to the Italian grocer if your normal supermarket doesn’t carry it.
The measurements below are just guidelines. You can scale the recipe to suit your needs or preferences.
Crostini with Tomatoes and Burrata
Ingredients:
- 1 baguette, cut into thin slices
- 1/4 cup plus 2 Tbsp olive oil
- 2 large tomatoes, cut in half then into half moon slices
- 8 oz. burrata cheese
- 1/4 cup chopped basil leaves
- salt and pepper
Instructions:
Preheat oven to 400. Arrange bread slices on rimmed baking sheet and drizzle with 1/4 cup olive oil. Season generously with salt and pepper. Bake bread slices for 1o minutes, then flip slices and bake for another 5 minutes on other side.
Place burrata in center of serving platter. Arrange tomatoes and crostini around burrata. Season tomatoes with salt and pepper. Drizzle remaining 2 Tbsp olive oil over tomatoes and cheese. Sprinkle basil over entire platter. Serve and enjoy!
Serves 4 as an appetizer.
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