This flavorful appetizer is perfect for Spring. A colorful addition to any party, brunch, lunch, or gathering, fresh shallots, lemon, thyme, basil, a hint of garlic and mustard highlight the deliciousness of burrata and tomatoes.
Use any baguette or Texas-style toast that you like! Brush with olive oil on both sides. Place under the broiler in the oven or grill outdoors, turning once. The grill is my preferred method for toasting but it may not always be possible. The broiler works fine. Just be sure to pay attention so as not to burn the bread.
If you have a Tommy Bahama in your area, be sure to check out their restaurants! And, their cookbooks make fantastic gifts for the home chef. This recipe is an adaptation from one of their cookbooks, Flavors of California.
Burrata Bruschetta Recipe Variations:
Substitute grape tomatoes
Use sliced or diced roma tomatoes
Add some diced kalamata, green or black olives
Don’t like burrata cheese? Use feta, buffalo mozzarella, traditional mozzarella or goat cheese
Cutting back on carbs? Use fresh red bell pepper slices, celery stalks, or jicama sliced into planks or rounds
Burrata Bruschetta with White Balsamic used shallots, cherry tomatoes, white balsamic vinegar, thyme, basil, and burrata cheese
Ingredients
Make the vinaigrette:
1/2 cup plus 1 teaspoon olive oil
2 tablespoons roughly chopped shallots
3 tablespoons white balsamic vinegar
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon raw honey
2 teaspoons dijon mustard
1 teaspoon chopped garlic (see notes below)
1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme leaves
Pinch sea salt
Pinch black pepper
*Special equipment: blender
For the Bruschetta:
12 baguette slices, about 1/3-inch thick
Olive oil, about 1/3 cup
10 ounces burrata cheese
30 heirloom cherry tomatoes, halved
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil leaves
Fine zest of 1/2 lemon
Instructions
Make the vinaigrette:
Heat 1 teaspoon olive oil in a medium skillet over medium heat.
Add shallots and cook about 2 minutes, remove from heat and set aside.
Add the shallots, vinegar, lemon juice, honey, mustard, garlic, thyme, salt, and pepper to the blender and puree until combined, about 10 seconds.
With the blender running, carefully drizzle in the olive oil through the top open lid of the blender until smooth.
Transfer to a container.
Shake well before using.
Vinaigrette may be refrigerated for up to 5 days.
Make the Bruschetta:
Brush the baguette slices on both sides with the olive oil.
Grill outdoors or broil in oven until just toasted, turn once, and toast the other side.
Spread burrata cheese on the crisper side of the bread slice.
Top with cherry tomatoes,
Drizzle about 1 tablespoon of the vinaigrette over the tomatoes.
Add a touch of sea salt and pepper.
Top with a little of the basil leaves.
Finish with a little fine zest of lemon.
Reserve remaining vinaigrette for a delicious salad; arugula would pair very nicely!
*Fresh garlic is used here but if you have time, roast the garlic beforehand, squeeze out the roasted cloves and use about 1/2 tablespoon in the recipe.
