Burrata is one of those special ingredients you fall in love with after the first time you have it. At least it was for me, but to be fair the first time I ever had burrata was sitting at the mozzarella bar of Osteria Mozza in Los Angeles watching Nancy Silverton serve up these perfect bites.
I made a version of this dish when we were invited to a friends beach home at the central coast. Every couple was in charge of a meal/appetizer. I’m not going to boast that this dish was a huge hit, but I will say we were invited again the following year(s)!
Over time I have changed up some of the ingredients from the original recipe to make it my own. I love making this dish when Jimmy’s not at the restaurant and is home for dinner. We’ll open up a bottle of wine and snack until the kids are off to bed and then we can get started on dinner. I usually go for a pinot grigio, but honestly what do I know about wine. I put a bottle in the freezer for 20 minutes while making this dish!
Star anise (one of the spices found in Chinese five-spice) might be unconventional for a dominantly Italian driven dish but it provides a great balance to the marinade.
For citrus, I used Meyer lemons because it’s what’s available in our backyard.
A microplane is ideal for zesting a lemon. This tool makes it easier to avoid getting the bitter white of the lemon membrane.
Marinated magic.
For a heartier appetizer, serve the marinated burrata and tomatoes with grilled/toasted bread or make individual crostini.
| Prep Time | 15 minutes |
| Servings |
people
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- 1 piece whole star anise
- 1 clove garlic
- Grated zest of 1 lemon I used a Meyer lemon
- 14 leaves basil, julienned and roughly chopped
- 1 teaspoons chopped thyme leaves
- 2 tablespoons good quality extra virgin olive oil plus more to finish
- 1 - 1 1/2 cup medley of small tomatoes cut in half lengthwise
- 1 8 oz ball burrata
Ingredients
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- Heat a small pan over medium heat and place whole star anise in pan. Move it around in the pan until is starts smelling fragrant and toasty, around 3 minutes.
- Move the star anise to the mortar and pestle and crush till it becomes a grainy powder. (Note: if you’re new to star anise I would add just half of the powder which measures out to about ¼ tsp - it can be a strong flavor if you aren’t familiar). Add the 1 clove of garlic and mash it in with the anise.
- Move mixture to a small mixing bowl and add the thyme, basil, EVOO, lemon zest, pinch of salt, and pepper to taste.
- Remove the burrata from the package and place in a small bowl. Using your fingers gently open up the burrata before spreading the marinade on top. Set aside for 20-30 minutes.
- When ready move the burrata onto a serving dish and gently spread out the top of the burrata so that it at least doubles in size, also spreading the marinade with it.
- Toss the tomatoes with a drizzle of olive oil and salt before placing them on the platter with the burrata. Finish complete dish with a drizzle of olive oil.
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