The Village - Fresh tomato and burrata bruschetta
RECIPES
Fresh tomato and burrata bruschetta
By Anthea Dawson
I will never forget the first time I tasted a truly perfect tomato. Sweet and juicy with just the right firmness - the opposite of the mealy, tasteless fare, that’s obviously travelled a great distance on a truck from some tropical location. Growing up in Québec where winter reigns supreme for what feels like most of the year, our harvest season is all too short. But our summers produce some of the most exquisite fruits and vegetables, and short as our time to enjoy them may be, it’s really worth the wait.
This is one of my favourite summer appetizer recipes to throw together when friends pop by, but it really is worth it to wait until tomato season is at its very best. The fresh tomatoes combined with the silky burrata and basil is a marriage made in heaven. And the grilled bread adds a beautiful smokiness but if you are running short on time, just brush the baguette slices with good-quality olive oil, sprinkle with a little salt and pop into the oven.
Ingredients
Serves 4 to 6 as an appetizer
- 1/2 cup good quality olive oil
- 2 cloves of garlic
- 1 fresh baguette, cut on the diagonal in ¼ inch slices
- 1 pound of tomatoes of your choice, perfectly ripe (ideally a mix of red and yellow)
- 1 ball of fresh burrata (about 8 oz.), at room temperature
- 1/2 cup fresh basil leaves
- Kosher salt and pepper
Preparation
In a small sauce pan, simmer the olive oil and the garlic cloves over medium-low heat, until the garlic has softened and you can smell it, about 5 minutes. Set the oil aside to cool.
Preheat your grill at medium-high heat. Gently brush the sliced baguette with the garlic oil and sprinkle each slice with a little salt. Grill the slices, watching them carefully so they don’t char too much. Set aside.
Meanwhile, core and dice your tomatoes. Set in a colander and sprinkle with 1 teaspoon of salt. The longer the tomatoes sit to drain out their juice the better (as it will keep the baguette from getting soggy) but 30 minutes is plenty.
Cut the burrata carefully into bite-sized chunks. Since it’s at room temperature, it will be very soft to cut but that’s OK. Mix it in with your drained tomatoes. Tear the basil leaves with your fingers and add to the tomato/burrata mix. Add the remaining garlic oil and mix well. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Spoon the tomato mix generously on top of each grilled baguette slice and serve!
About the author: Anthea Dawson Oldland is a professionally trained chef who worked for years in the restaurant and catering world before her three kids came along. Her focus had to quickly shift from working black tie events on New Year's eve to purees, bake sales and chicken fingers. Now with older kids, she finds it easier to work her trained style of cooking in to everyday life, making one family meal that is nutritious and delicious, that hopefully challenges everyone's taste buds and opens up their eyes to interesting food. She lives in Montreal, Quebec and is currently working on a cookbook of family recipes.
RECIPES
Fresh tomato and burrata bruschetta
By Anthea Dawson
I will never forget the first time I tasted a truly perfect tomato. Sweet and juicy with just the right firmness - the opposite of the mealy, tasteless fare, that’s obviously travelled a great distance on a truck from some tropical location. Growing up in Québec where winter reigns supreme for what feels like most of the year, our harvest season is all too short. But our summers produce some of the most exquisite fruits and vegetables, and short as our time to enjoy them may be, it’s really worth the wait.
This is one of my favourite summer appetizer recipes to throw together when friends pop by, but it really is worth it to wait until tomato season is at its very best. The fresh tomatoes combined with the silky burrata and basil is a marriage made in heaven. And the grilled bread adds a beautiful smokiness but if you are running short on time, just brush the baguette slices with good-quality olive oil, sprinkle with a little salt and pop into the oven.
Ingredients
Serves 4 to 6 as an appetizer
- 1/2 cup good quality olive oil
- 2 cloves of garlic
- 1 fresh baguette, cut on the diagonal in ¼ inch slices
- 1 pound of tomatoes of your choice, perfectly ripe (ideally a mix of red and yellow)
- 1 ball of fresh burrata (about 8 oz.), at room temperature
- 1/2 cup fresh basil leaves
- Kosher salt and pepper
Preparation
In a small sauce pan, simmer the olive oil and the garlic cloves over medium-low heat, until the garlic has softened and you can smell it, about 5 minutes. Set the oil aside to cool.
Preheat your grill at medium-high heat. Gently brush the sliced baguette with the garlic oil and sprinkle each slice with a little salt. Grill the slices, watching them carefully so they don’t char too much. Set aside.
Meanwhile, core and dice your tomatoes. Set in a colander and sprinkle with 1 teaspoon of salt. The longer the tomatoes sit to drain out their juice the better (as it will keep the baguette from getting soggy) but 30 minutes is plenty.
Cut the burrata carefully into bite-sized chunks. Since it’s at room temperature, it will be very soft to cut but that’s OK. Mix it in with your drained tomatoes. Tear the basil leaves with your fingers and add to the tomato/burrata mix. Add the remaining garlic oil and mix well. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Spoon the tomato mix generously on top of each grilled baguette slice and serve!
About the author: Anthea Dawson Oldland is a professionally trained chef who worked for years in the restaurant and catering world before her three kids came along. Her focus had to quickly shift from working black tie events on New Year's eve to purees, bake sales and chicken fingers. Now with older kids, she finds it easier to work her trained style of cooking in to everyday life, making one family meal that is nutritious and delicious, that hopefully challenges everyone's taste buds and opens up their eyes to interesting food. She lives in Montreal, Quebec and is currently working on a cookbook of family recipes.
