Caprese with ripe heirloom tomatoes, creamy-centered burrata, and purple basil microgreens. A no-cook appetizer ready in 15 minutes.
INGREDIENTS
- 200 g - burrata
- 500 g - ripe heirloom tomatoes in mixed colors
- 1/2 tsp - flaky sea salt
- 2 tbsp - extra virgin olive oil
- freshly ground black pepper
- 10 g - purple basil microgreens
STEPS
- Take the burrata out of the fridge 30 minutes before serving.
- Slice large tomatoes into 1/2 in (1 cm) rounds and halve small ones. Arrange on a platter, salt, and let sit for 10 minutes.
- Set the burrata in the center of the platter and cut into the top so the creamy center opens up.
- Drizzle the tomatoes and cheese with olive oil and season with pepper.
- Scatter the purple basil microgreens over the tomatoes and cheese and serve right away, with bread for the juices.
Purple Basil Microgreens in Caprese
Caprese stands on three things: tomatoes, cheese, and basil. Here burrata with its creamy center takes the place of mozzarella, and purple basil microgreens take the place of basil leaves. They have the classic basil aroma in a quieter form, and their almost inky leaves stand out on white cheese and red tomatoes.
Scatter the microgreens at the very last moment, once the oil and salt are on the plate.
About the Ingredients
Purple basil microgreens: 10 g per platter. Green basil microgreens work too, with less contrast.
Tomatoes: ripe, ideally in different colors and sizes. Keep them at room temperature: tomatoes lose their aroma in the fridge.
Burrata: take it out of the fridge 30 minutes before serving, since a cold creamy center has almost no flavor.
Olive oil: the best you have, you’ll taste it here.
Technique: Salt the Tomatoes Ahead
Slice the tomatoes, salt them, and let them sit for 10 minutes. The salt draws out juice and brightens the tomato flavor. Don’t pour off the juice on the plate: with the oil it becomes a sauce for dipping bread.
Variations
- With peaches: replace half the tomatoes with slices of ripe peach.
- With pesto: a spoonful of pesto in place of some of the oil.
- With balsamic glaze: a few drops of thick balsamic at the end.
- With mozzarella: sliced fresh mozzarella if there’s no burrata.
Serving and Storage
Make caprese right before serving; it doesn’t keep. Serve it as an appetizer with ciabatta or alongside grilled meat. How long an open container of microgreens lasts is in our wiki: microgreen shelf life.
Green basil microgreens in a hot dish: basil microgreen pesto pasta.
CHEF'S TIPS
Keep the tomatoes out of the fridge before and after slicing: cold dulls their aroma.
If your burrata is small, use two 100 g balls on opposite sides of the platter.
