Summertime’s Calling Me
Think of burrata as the playful descendant of mozzarella. It’s made from mozzarella but the similarity ends there. Burrata takes mozzarella to new heights.
What’s Burrata?
Burrata is mozzarella, shaped into a kind of pouch; filled with soft, delicious bits of curd and cream; then tied into a knot. Within this purse, flavors develop and soon give way to a delicate creaminess that pairs beautifully with summer’s sun-ripened heirloom tomatoes.
Burrata Heirloom Salad
This summer salad easily accommodates four as a light appetizer and pairs beautifully with wine or a favorite cocktail.
Ingredients
- 4 heirloom tomatoes varying in type
- 8 oz burrata (two 4oz burrata pouches)
- 3 Tbsp chopped basil
- 3 Tbsp chopped parsley
- 1 lemon zested
- kosher salt
- 1 cup balsamic vinegar
- 1/2-1 cup high quality olive oil depending upon the thickness you prefer
Instructions
- Slice the heirloom tomatoes. I like to slice them in different ways …some quartered, some halved and some simply sliced as you would for a sandwich. This adds a level of dimension to the salad, elevating this simple summer dish.
- Cook the balsamic vinegar in a small pot over med/low heat until it is reduced and thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Don’t do this too far in advance as it will set and become hard as candy if left to cool for too long.
- Take the olive oil and add it to a blender or food processor. I used an immersion blender for this but feel free to use whatever method you have. If you don’t have an appliance don’t fret! Just finely chop the basil and parsley, add to the oil and blend with a whisk or fork. Set aside. This can be made in advance because the longer it sits the more the herbs will flavor the oil.
- At this point, grab your favorite platter or plate and assemble your elegant, easy summer salad. Place the burrata purses in the center of the platter and build out with the tomatoes. Dress the burrata and tomatoes with the flavored olive oil, balsamic reduction, lemon zest, salt and freshly ground pepper. Enjoy!
