Winter caprese salad with burrata is simply a twist on the Italian classic. It’s a melange of roasted Roma tomatoes, finely sliced green tomatoes and sweet cherry tomatoes. The salad originates from the island of Capri. The popular belief is that is was made for the Egyptian King Faruk, a gourmand living in exile on the island. He is said to have uncharacteristically asked for ‘something light’ after a day at the beach. He was onto a good thing!
The tomatoes look pretty on a flat plate with a knob of burrata, shredded basil leaves and a drizzle of olive oil. Make sure all the tomatoes are at room temperature so that they’re at their flavourful best. Roasting the Roma tomatoes delivers a richer depth of flavour to the salad. It is worth learning how to ‘chiffonade’ your basil. What a pretty word for turning delicate herbs into thin ribbons! This winter caprese salad with burrata is a perfect offering for pre-dinner drinks. Alternatively, serve it as an entree or a side dish for a main course. It’s really all about the presentation and using the best ingredients you can find.
Do you like winter salads? You might like to try this Roasted Vegetable Salad with Dukkah
Best wishes,
Amanda
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Winter Caprese Salad with Burrata
Ingredients
- 4 Roma (egg/plum) tomatoes, washed and quartered lengthways
- 2 green (unripe)tomatoes, washed and finely sliced into rounds
- 12 cherry tomatoes, washed and quartered
- 1 knob burrata
- 3 tbsp good quality olive oil
- 2 tbsp good quality balsamic vinegar
- handful basil leaves
- flaked sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 180°C (160°C fan-forced).
- Line a shallow baking tray with baking paper. Arrange sliced Roma tomatoes, cut side up, drizzle with the balsamic vinegar and roast for 30 minutes. Set aside to cool.
- Arrange sliced green tomatoes on the plate, sprinkle with a pinch of salt, then then arrange the cut cherry tomatoes and cooled Roma tomatoes on top. Sprinkle with a little more salt, then place the burrata in the middle.
- To chiffonade the basil, gather the basil leaves together on top of one another. Roll them gently together until you have a little cylinder. With a very sharp knife, slice the basil into thin ribbons and sprinkle over the top.
- Drizzle olive oil over the top and season to taste. Serve immediately.
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