How To Make Burrata With Grilled Bread And Anchovies | Tasting Ta
A heavenly combination of crunch, cream, and brine
I'll be the first to admit that I love burrata cheese-maybe a little too much.
The velvety, heavenly combination of mozzarella and cream is delicious every which way-on its own dressed with a little sea salt and a few glugs of olive oil, paired with some of summer's very best tomatoes, torn and melted onto pasta...
Now that I've sung burrata's praises, what inspired this quick appetizer was bringing all my favorite things onto one plate: anchovies, olive oil, good bread and lemons. The bread is grilled until it's nice and charred, then topped with a big dollop of burrata, marinated anchovies and a little bit of celery salad. The toasts are then drizzled with a simple shallot and Champagne vinegar dressing.
The crunch, the creaminess, the brininess: It's everything you want in one bite.
The burrata obsession continues.
To learn more, read "Love on a Rooftop."
Recipe from the Tasting Table Test Kitchen
- For the Shallot Vinaigrette
- 1 small shallot, thinly sliced
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon Champagne vinegar
- Salt, to taste
- For the Marinated Anchovies
- ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 3 whole salt-packed anchovies, soaked, drained and filleted in half
- 4 sprigs thyme, finely chopped
- 1 clove garlic, thinly sliced
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- For the Crostini
- Six ½-inch-thick slices of whole wheat sourdough
- Extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 celery stalks, peeled with a vegetable peeler and thinly sliced
- Three 8-ounce balls of burrata, torn into quarters
- Zest of 1 lemon
- Sea salt, to taste
- Make the shallot vinaigrette: Combine all the ingredients and season with salt. Allow the shallots to macerate and soften, about 15 minutes. Set aside until ready to use.
- Make the marinated anchovies: In a small mixing bowl, combine the olive oil, anchovies, thyme, garlic and red pepper flakes and allow to marinate for an hour at room temperature. Remove and discard the garlic slices. Set aside until ready to use.
- Make the crostini: Build a medium-hot charcoal fire or heat a gas grill to medium-high heat. Using a pastry brush, brush the bread with olive oil on both sides. Grill the bread until golden brown, about 4 minutes for both sides. Transfer the grilled bread to a platter.
- In a medium mixing bowl, toss the celery with the shallot vinaigrette and season with salt.
- To assemble, divide the burrata among the grilled bread. Top each piece with a little bit of celery salad and anchovy and a sprinkle of lemon zest. Season with sea salt. Drizzle each toast with anchovy marinating oil and serve.