Heirloom Tomato Caprese With Burrata Balloons Recipe
Make Heirloom Tomato Caprese With Burrata Balloons Recipe in just 25m. Get the full recipe with step-by-step instructions at pekinthechef.com.
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Ingredients
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Tomato & Burrata
Dressing & Finish
Optional Garnishes & Serving
Method
Tomato & Burrata
- 1
Prepare tomatoes
Wash heirloom tomatoes and pat dry. Slice 1/4-inch to 1/2-inch thick crosswise for larger tomatoes; for very small tomatoes, halve or leave whole. Arrange slices on a large serving platter in an overlapping, slightly fanned pattern leaving space for the burrata.
- 2
Prepare burrata balloons
Bring burrata to room temperature (about 20–30 minutes) so the interior is soft and creamy. Pat the exterior dry gently with paper towel. If burrata balls are large, cut each into 2–3 'balloons' by making a shallow horizontal slit and gently coaxing out a small pouch of creamy interior so each piece yields a soft, balloon-like mound. Alternatively, keep whole and place one burrata per cluster on the platter.
- 3
Nestle the prepared burrata pieces gently among the tomato slices, spacing them evenly across the platter so each guest can take a ‘burrata balloon’ with tomato.
Dressing & Finish
- 4
Make the dressing
In a small bowl, whisk together the extra-virgin olive oil, aged balsamic vinegar (or glaze), lemon zest, minced garlic (if using), sea salt and freshly ground black pepper until combined. Taste and adjust seasoning — the dressing should be bright with a slight tang and a good olive oil mouthfeel.
- 5
Dress the salad
Using a spoon, drizzle about three-quarters of the dressing evenly over the tomatoes and burrata. Be gentle when dressing the burrata to avoid breaking the delicate outer casing too early; the idea is to keep attractive burrata 'balloons' while letting some creamy interior show.
- 6
Finish plating
Scatter fresh basil leaves and microgreens across the platter. Sprinkle toasted pine nuts or chopped pistachios for crunch. Finish with the remaining dressing dotted or lightly drizzled over the burrata and tomatoes. If using balsamic glaze, add a few decorative streaks or dots now.
Serve
- 7
Just before serving, grind a bit more black pepper over the dish and sprinkle any extra flaky sea salt to taste. Serve immediately with crusty bread or crostini so diners can scoop out the creamy burrata interior onto tomato slices.
- 8
Leftovers: store burrata and tomatoes covered in the refrigerator and consume within 1 day for best texture. Keep dressing separate if possible.