Burrata Appetizer with Sweet Peppers (Bruschetta Deconstructed)
Whip up this stunning Burrata Appetizer with Peppers in minutes! This deconstructed bruschetta, makes a gorgeous edible centerpiece.
Servings: 2 people
Ingredients
Basil Pistachio Vinaigrette
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil
- 1 Tablespoon Honey
- 1 Tablespoon roasted pistachios , chop if you choose not to use a blender to make the vinaigrette
- 1 Tablespoon lemon juice , freshly squeezed (½ lemon when cooking for two)
- 1 Tablespoon pear-infused vinegar or champagne/white wine vinegar
- 6 fresh basil leaves , chop if not using a blender
- 2 teaspoons fresh thyme
- 1 garlic cloves
- 1 pinch each kosher salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes
Peppers
- ½ pound mini sweet peppers , found in the produce section, they often are pre-packaged in a 1 pound bag
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil
- ¼ teaspoon Aleppo Pepper , you can substitute with smoked paprika, or 2 parts hungarian (sweet pepper) and 1 part cumin. See notes below.
- ¼ teaspoon chili powder
Burrata and Bread
- 1 french baguette ,sliced
- olive oil to drizzle on bread slices
- 4 ounces burrata cheese , at room temperature
Instructions
- Before you begin: At least 15 minutes before you start grilling, drain and pat dry the burrata with a paper towel. Set aside to bring to room temperature.
Basil Pistachio Vinaigrette
- Place ¼ cup olive oil, honey, pistachios, lemon juice, vinegar, basil,thyme, and garlic into a blender bowl or a beaker if using a hand blender. Blend until smooth. Season with a pinch of salt, pepper and chili flakes. Taste and adjust seasoning by adding more salt and pepper, if needed. For a sweeter vinaigrette add more honey. Store the vinaigrette in a sealed glass jar in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.
Grill the peppers and Bread
- Preheat the grill or grill pan to medium-high heat. Clean and then brush the grill grates with vegetable (not olive oil!) oil to prevent the chance of sticking.
- In a large bowl, toss the peppers in the remaining olive oil until evenly coated. Season with the Aleppo pepper (see recipe note section for what you can use as a substitution), salt and pepper.
- Place the bread slices on a baking sheet or cutting board and drizzle with olive oil on both sides of each slice, season with salt.
- Place the bread and peppers on the grill. Grilling the bread for 2-3 minutes per side or until lightly toasted. At the same time, grill the peppers until soft and you begin to see grill marks on the peppers. This will take about 3-4 minutes per side. Remove the peppers and bread from the grill and arranging them on a serving platter,drizzle the vinaigrette over the peppers
Tableside Assembly
- Now the fun part – using the burrata that has been brought to room temperature, patted dry, break up the balls with your hands and place around the peppers. I like to garnish with chopped basil and pass around the vinaigrette. Pass around the grilled bread and vinaigrette.