About this Recipe

By: Rachel

There is a saying that gardening does not begin in the spring or summer, when we first sow seeds into rich, expectant soil, nor when we first plant seedlings in the ground. It begins in January… with the dream.

Famously impatient, my garden begins in January, but not with a dream… with action. I can’t seem to stop myself from starting my seeds months earlier than recommended. The University of Minnesota suggests starting tomato seeds indoors in mid-April, by which time my plants are fully-fledged monsters, flowering and often fruiting, threatening to pop right out of their containers. My plants are typically around six feet tall by the end of June.

But I can’t help it—tomatoes are an obsession. I spend the fall and winter trading seeds with fellow gardeners I’ve met online in endless pursuit of the sweetest, the juiciest, the most visually stunning of them all. I have hundreds of varieties of tomatoes, and choosing just six to grow each year is agony.

When these treasured fruits finally ripen, I have to make the most of them—and so should you. No imported or hothouse-grown, winter tomato could ever compare to the mouthwatering, delectable treats of the summer garden.

I can think of no better place for tomatoes than alongside rich cheese, sunny olive oil, and fresh herbs (which is why my Whipped Feta with Roasted Tomatoes is also a summer favorite).

Here, fresh-off-the-vine tomatoes are marinated in herbs, garlic, and olive oil—as they sit, they create a savory, flavorful dressing. They are spooned over balls of creamy burrata cheese (and, hopefully, loaded onto slices of fresh, crusty bread) for a dish you’ll be eating all summer long, and thinking about all winter long.

Marinated Tomatoes with Burrata

With garden-fresh tomatoes atop creamy burrata cheese, this is the dish you’ll be eating all summer, and craving all year long.

Print Recipe

Ready In 30

Meal Type Appetizer, Salad, Side Dish

Servings 4

Ingredients

½ cup (120g) extra virgin olive oil, plus extra for garnish
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 clove garlic, smashed
1 large handful fresh basil leaves
2-3 large fresh tomatoes (or equivalent quantity of smaller tomatoes)
Maldon salt and freshly-ground black pepper
2-3 large balls burrata cheese
Sliced crusty bread (optional)

Step by Step Instructions

Step 1

Rub the smashed garlic clove liberally over the interior of a large bowl. Add the olive oil, balsamic vinegar, and some chopped basil (reserve sprigs for garnish), and stir to combine. Toss the tomatoes in the dressing. Season to taste with Maldon salt and black pepper, stir again, and let marinate for 30 minutes.

Step 2

Cut your balls of burrata in half, and place on a platter or atop slices of crusty bread. Spoon the marinated tomatoes over the cheese, and finish with an additional drizzle of of olive oil and sprinkling of Maldon salt and black pepper. Garnish with basil leaves, and serve immediately.

Beverage Pairing

By: Olivia

A delicious summer treat like these tomatoes and burrata deserves an equally delicious wine. The fresh, herby, and creamy dish pairs beautifully with crisp, acidic, mineral-forward wines like Sauvignon Blanc and Vermentino. An out-of-this-world pairing can be found in a skin-contact white wine: Lunaria Ramoro Pinot Grigio. If you can grab this at Violet Wine, pair it with this dish to highlight its acidity and savory qualities.