Slow Roasted Tomatoes with Burrata & Basil
I miss my garden a lot. But high summer was always the time I found myself neglecting her. While the early morning weather was bearable, the bugs were a nuisance as I puttered about in an attempt to quickly harvest whatever goodness she had growing. More days than not I would sit on my front porch in the early morning with my cappuccino in hand and just stare out at her. Tomatoes falling from the vine, zinnias exploding in colors, zucchini and herbs spreading like weeds. The overflowing fruits from her laborious summer’s work. She was always generous this time of year. And while I do miss her a lot, I haven’t been without. One thing I love about Cairo is that the agricultural industry revolves around the seasons. You get what’s available when it can grow. The weather determines what we eat in many respects. So what does that look like in the summertime? The hot weather means its a lot like the goodness we get back home, including one of my favorites: juicy, ripe tomatoes. They have been abundant here all summer long and will be gone before we know it so I’m finding ways to include them in as many dishes as I can.
This recipe came as a result of an otherwise ordinary summer’s day. I walked into the grocery around the corner from my apartment and came home with bright red cherry tomatoes, fresh basil and creamy Italian burrata. The fresh ingredients really do make this dish. It’s essentially summertime on a plate - slow roasted tomatoes tossed in a good olive oil, sprinkled with sea salt and a little black pepper mixed together with loads of fresh basil and topped with creamy burrata. Oh, and an extra bit of olive oil and balsamic to top it off. It sounds ridiculously fancy but it couldn’t be more simple to make. The only caveat is you must try it before the tomatoes go out of season - so hurry, hurry!
Ingredients
3 handfuls of ripe cherry tomatoes
Fresh basil leaves
Italian burrata cheese
Extra virgin olive oil
Balsamic vinegar
Sea salt and black pepper
Method
Slice cherry tomatoes, toss with olive oil, salt & pepper; roast at 200 F for 1.5 - 2 hours
Allow tomatoes to come to room temperature
Layer roasted tomatoes on bottom of a serving dish; sprinkle fresh basil throughout then place the burrata in the center
Drizzle extra virgin olive oil and balsamic vinegar atop the dish; add salt and pepper to taste
Tips
Serve this dish in a variety of ways: as an appetizer with crackers or slices of toasted bread; mix it in with whole wheat pasta; as a sandwich on a sliced baguette (lather the inside with pesto…yum!)