Smoky Grilled Tomatoes with Burrata and Crispbread
These Smoky Grilled Tomatoes and some creamy burrata cheese are a very summery and delicious way to top your homemade crispbread, whether you are making the sourdough variety using your discarded starter or this Rye and Oat Crispbread. You can even skip the baking and buy crispbread at the store, or grill a few slices of rustic bread from your local bakery along side the tomatoes! The combination of these meaty, grilled tomatoes and buttery burrata will be a welcome topping for anything crunchy you choose to put it on.
I like to think of this combination of crispbread and tomatoes as a modern, Nordic take on bruschetta, the Italian appetizer comprised of fresh tomatoes, basil and a little garlic on top of grilled bread. The few minutes it takes to grill the tomatoes is definitely worth it. They become infused with an unmistakable fiery flavor that is the essence of summer grilling and the perfect foil for the creamy burrata.
If you have never had burrata cheese before, you are in for a treat. It's basically a a ball of whole milk mozzarella cheese with a creamy center. Seriously....SO delicious and the perfect pair for grilled tomatoes and something crispy underneath. It comes in a tub submerged in liquid, and you can find it at most grocery stores near the other fresh Italian cheeses.
This recipe is so simple and easy and can even be made in advance if you choose. Simply store the tomatoes in the refrigerator for up to a day and let them come to room temperature before serving.
I call for plum tomatoes here because they are a little more meaty in texture and hold up nicely to the heat of the grill, but quite honestly any ripe summer tomato would quite adequately do the job here so feel free to use what you have on hand.
I hope you give these Smoky Grilled Tomatoes with Burrata and Crispbread a try before tomato season is behind us! It's a wonderful way to begin a summer evening.
Recipe
Smoky Grilled Tomatoes with Burrata and Crispbread
Ingredients
- 1 garlic clove minced
- 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
- ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 1 tablespoon olive oil plus more for drizzling
- 1 ½ pounds plum tomatoes halved lengthwise
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil plus more basil leaves for serving
- Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
- Burrata cheese
- Crispbread for serving
Instructions
- Heat grill to medium. Combine garlic, red wine vinegar and crushed red pepper flakes in a medium bowl. Set aside.
- Toss tomatoes with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Oil the grill and place the tomatoes, cut side down, on the grill. Cover and grill for 3 minutes. Flip tomatoes over using a metal spatula and continue to cook until they are soft and lightly charred, another 3-5minutes. Transfer the tomatoes to a clean bowl and, using a pair of kitchen shears, roughly cut them into small pieces.
- Add garlic and vinegar mixture and basil to the chopped tomatoes and toss to combine. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve with burrata that's been drizzled with olive oil, basil leaves for garnish and crispbread.
