On my last trip to Italy, I spent a sunny, brilliant day in Sanremo, a small, charming town on the Italian coast. It was a spectacular summer day and the air smelled of lemons and the sea. After leisurely exploring the village I stopped into a small restaurant overlooking the Mediterranean Sea. Relaxing on the terrace with a glass of Prosecco and a Burrata salad I stared out at the ocean, listening to the sounds of Italian conversations over the rush of the surf and savored this simple Italian dish. It was one of those perfect moments in life.
This weekend when I was at the farmer's market, I was reminded of this moment when I picked up some heirloom cherry tomatoes and fresh emerald green basil. And last night on the deck with Larry, over a simple Burrata salad, I savored another perfect summer moment.
Make your own perfect summer moment with this simple dish.
{recipe} Burrata with Tomatoes and Basil (for two)
Burrata is a hand-formed mozzarella ball with a creamy center reminiscent of buttery ricotta cheese. It can be found in the specialty cheese section of your local market.
Ingredients
1/2 a Burrata (Buffalo Mozzarella ball)
1/2 pint cherry tomatoes
4 basil leaves
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar glaze
Salt to taste
Directions
Remove the Burrata ball from water and pat dry. Slice in half. Wrap one half in Saran wrap and place back in refrigerator. Using your hands, shred the mozzarella onto a plate. Set aside.
Cut cherry tomatoes in half and sprinkle over cheese.
Using scissors, julienne Basil leaves into thin slices and toss over cheese and tomatoes.
Drizzle olive oil then balsamic glaze over cheese, tomatoes and basil.
Top with a sprinkle of salt to taste.
Serve with toasted rustic bread.
Happy summer food!
