My favourite burrata recipe – Bursty Tomato Burrata Salad. Juicy roasted cherry tomatoes, creamy burrata cheese, dollops of pesto, swish of olive oil and crusty bread. Simple, luscious, rustic perfection. A gorgeous appetiser or light meal that’s not too expensive to make.

This is my favourite burrata recipe

Burrata seems to be all the rage these days, on the menu of just about every trendy restaurant. That strange looking wobbly white ball of cheese with a molten centre that oozes out when you cut into it, there is no other cheese like it. (Is there??)

The name burrata is linked to the Italian word for butter, which hints at the rich and creamy taste of burrata. With a cheese this good yet not that expensive to buy, you can make something really special with very little effort and modest cost.

For me, juicy, bursty roasted cherry tomatoes served warm with a plump burrata ball plonked on top and a side of warm bread is just about as good as food gets. It’s on the table in 15 minutes, costs around $15, and it’s always a hit. Always!

What is burrata?

Burrata is an Italian fresh cheese. It is essentially a ball of fresh mozzarella filled with cream. The outside shell is stretchy and curdy like mozzarella while the inside is soft and creamy, and oozes out when you cut into the ball. It’s rich and intensely milky in taste, yet somehow fresh and delicate at the same time. The flavour is actually pretty mild, like fresh mozzarella. It’s not salty or heavily flavoured like an aged brie or cheddar.

Originating from the Puglia region of Italy, it’s made from cow milk (sometimes buffalo milk) and is so delicate it comes in water in tubs.

Not to be confused with fresh mozzarella or bocconcini (also sold in water in tubs) which are not oozy inside.

How to eat burrata – Burrata is eaten as is ie. no cooking. To me, because of the mild flavour, burrata is more about what you serve with it rather than the cheese itself. You need to add flavour and salt, and treat burrata almost like cream that makes a sauce. You’d never just dump just cream on a pasta, right? Need to add salt and flavourings. Bacon! Chicken! Parmesan!

How it’s used in dishes – Plonked on pastas, salads and toasts, as well as served plain with just a drizzle of olive oil and grilled bread on the side. Think of it as an instant sauce!

Today’s recipe is a burrata salad – and it’s my favourite way to use burrata in a dish.

Note: Not all burrata is created equal!

Good burrata will have a creamy centre that oozes out when you cut into it and have a beautiful luscious mouthfeel. Lesser quality burrata will not ooze properly.

My go-to brand is Paesanella. It’s a local Australian brand fairly widely available these days here in Australian grocery stores and fresh produces stores. You can find even better ones at (good) Italian / cheese delis from artisan small batch producers.

Ingredients in Bursty Tomato Burrata Salad

Finishing with dollops of pesto takes this over the top. Taste wise – and also looks. Love how it turns the juices green!

But it’s still worth making even without. If basil is either extortionately expensive or a rummage in the freezer for leftover pesto is unsuccessful, I still make this though I do add something else to compensate, like dried herbs with the roasted tomatoes. I’ve popped some suggestions in the recipe card for pesto alternatives.

Burrata and (semi-optional) pesto

• Burrata – See box above for information about burrata. No preparation is need to use it, just drain the liquid and use as is. However, just emphasising my recommendation to get a good one. If it doesn’t ooze, frankly, you may as well just get ricotta! My go-to brand is Paesanella which is available at some large grocery stores and fresh produce stores. Else, Italian / cheese delis.

• Pesto – As noted above the photo, recommended for my favourite version of this dish but I still make it without. Use homemade pesto (freezes so great!) or a good store-bought.

• Fresh basil – For sprinkling. As with with pesto comments, highly recommended but still worth making without.

The burst tomatoes and sauce

Here’s what you need for the sauce and burst tomatoes. Which, in case you hadn’t gathered yet, is just a cute name for roasted cherry tomatoes – because they go wrinkly and soft, ready to “burst” at a touch!

• Cherry or grape tomatoes – 500g/1lb, about 4 cups in total, 2 standard Australian punnets. Because we are roasting them, they are delicious even when they are not in their summer prime. But imagine how good this dish is when cherry tomatoes are at their sweetest!

• Eschalot (US: Shallot) – Also known as French onions and called “shallots” in the US. They are like baby onions, but with purple-skinned flesh. Not to be confused with what some people in Australia call “shallots”, ie. the long green onions. More delicate and not as sharp as ordinary onions so you don’t end up with giant lumps of onion with the tomatoes. Substitute with a garlic clove, finely minced white part of green onions, or finely shaved red onion.

• Sherry vinegar – A little drizzle of vinegar to cut through all the olive oil and rich cheese really lifts this dish, I find. Use any clear(ish) vinegar that’s not as sharp as plain white vinegar. eg. like white wine vinegar, red wine or apple cider vinegar.

• Standard olive oil – For roasting the tomatoes. No need to use your good stuff for cooking.

• GOOD extra virgin olive oil – For drizzling over the dish at the end! This is what you use your good stuff for. Better flavour, richer colour!

How to make Bursty Tomato Burrata Salad

The tomatoes only take 10 minutes in the oven to become softened and a bit wrinkly but still holding their shape. The perfect state of almost-bursting (we want most of the actual bursting to happen in our mouth!).

1. Bake 10 minutes – Toss the tomatoes with olive oil, salt, pepper and the eshallots (US: shallots). Spread on a tray and bake for 10 minutes at 200°C/400°F (180°C fan) until the tomatoes are softened, some are wrinkly, but they are all still holding their shape and not collapsed into mush.

2. Vinegar – Gently push the tomatoes to one side of the tray (so they are bunched up together) and drizzle with the vinegar.

   Transfer – Then gently transfer the tomatoes to a serving plate, in a single layer.

How to handle the burrata:

Now, burrata time! Nothing needs to be done to prepare it, we use it straight out of the tub.

3. GENTLY drain the liquid out of the burrata tub.

4. GENTLY roll the burrata out of the tub into your hand.

5. GENTLY place the burrata on top of the tomatoes.

6. Dollop pesto randomly across the tomatoes – I also do some on the burrata. Why not?

Do you see a theme in the instructions here? 😂 Burratas are delicate – the mozzarella shell is thin and barely holding in that molten creamy good inside. Fairy fingers are essential here to avoid a burrata explosion in your hands. Not fun, my friends! (Says the girl who did it just 2 days ago).

7. Finish with a swish of olive oil and sprinkle of fresh basil laves. Then serve your colourful bright burrata salad with a side of crusty bread!

8. Nominate a lucky person to break into the burrata to let the molten centre come oozing out. Let that creamy centre run everywhere, mingling with the tomato juices and the pesto…you’re imagining it, right???

   Here’s your masterpiece before everyone gets stuck in. A glorious plate of rustic perfection!

And here it is, 5 seconds later.

Honestly, for a burrata plate this big which would easily serve 2 if not 3 people for lunch, I’d expect to pay upwards of $30 at a trendy bistro – plus bread which they’d probably charge another $10 for.

All the ingredients here cost me around $15, bearing in mind you only use about 1/4 of a full batch of pesto (it freezes perfectly).

Colourful, bright food that’s made for sharing, perfectly imperfect delicious mess. This is 100% my kind of food! – Nagi x

Watch how to make it

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Bursty Tomato Burrata Salad

Recipe video above. My favourite burrata recipe – Bursty Tomato Burrata Salad. Juicy roasted cherry tomatoes, creamy burrata cheese, dollops of pesto, swish of olive oil and crusty bread. Simple, luscious, rustic perfection. Gorgeous appetiser or light meal that's not too expensive to make.

Finishing with pesto takes this over the top but it's still worth making even without. But whatever you do, don't forget bread for mopping!

Course Appetiser, Light Meal, Starter

Cuisine Italian, Western

Keyword burrata cheese, burrata recipe, burrata salad

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes minutes

Servings 4 – 6 as a starter

Calories 305cal

Author Nagi

Ingredients

• 200g/ 6 oz x 1 fresh burrata cheese (Aus: Paesanella is my go-to, Note 1)
• 1/4 cup basil pesto , preferably homemade, recommended but not essential (Note 2)

Roasted tomato:

• 500g/ 1 lb (4 cups) cherry or grape tomatoes
• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 2 tbsp eschalot , finely chopped (US: shallot), ~1/2 small (Note 3 subs)
• 1/2 tsp cooking/kosher salt
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 2 tsp sherry vinegar (or apple cider or red wine vinegar)

Serving:

• 1/2 tsp salt flakes (or half the quantity for cooking/kosher salt) (Note 4)
• 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil , a good one is best, for finishing
• Few fresh basil leaves , for sprinkling (Note 2)
• Warmed crusty bread , for mopping

Instructions

• De-chill – Take the burrata out of the fridge and leave on the counter for 30 minutes, to take the fridge-chill out of it. Keep it in the water in the tub.

Roasted tomatoes:

• Preheat oven to 200°C/400°F (180°C fan).
• Roast 10 min – Toss the cherry tomatoes with the olive oil, eschalot, salt and pepper (in a bowl, or on a tray). Spread on a tray. Roast 10 minutes until softened but not collapsing.
• Vinegar – Gently push the tomatoes to one end of the tray. Drizzle over vinegar. No need to mix.

Assembling:

• Tomatoes – Carefully transfer tomatoes to a plate, spreading them out in a single layer.
• Burrata – Gently (GENTLY!!) drain the water out of the tub and roll the burrata out into your hand. Place a burrata on top of tomatoes.
• Finish – Drizzle the 1 tablespoon of good extra virgin olive oil all over the plate. Dollop pesto randomly all over. Sprinkle with salt flakes and basil.
• Serve with crusty bread on the side!
• Eating!
• Nominate a person to do the cutting honours. Break into the burrata with a serving spoon. Let the centre ooze out. Make sure you scoop up a bit of everything, pile onto bread and eat! Don't forget to mop the plate clean. The juices are the best part.

Notes

1. Burrata – wobbly ball of Italian cheese with a thin mozzarella shell and a creamy centre that oozes out when you cut into it. Creamy mouthfeel with a pretty mild flavour like mozzarella – it’s more about what you serve it with. Burst roast tomatoes with a good swish of olive oil and nice sprinkle of salt is an excellent pairing. If you add pesto, it takes it over the top!

FIND IT in the fridge section of most grocery stores these days, sold in tubs, the burrata is in water. My go-to brand is Paesanella which is widely accessible these days, ~$6.

Not to be confused with fresh mozzarella or bocconcini, they are not oozy inside.

Not all burratas are created equal. Good ones have an oozy centre. Cheap ones do not!

2. Pesto – As per Note 1, this recipe is excellent even without pesto. With pesto, it is even better! Same with basil leaves.

If skipping the pesto, sprinkle the roasted tomatoes with a good amount of finely sliced basil. No fresh basil? Roast the tomatoes with 1/2 tsp of dried herbs (Italian mix, or oregano). YUM!

3. Eschalots (called shallots in the US) are the baby onions that are more delicate and not as harsh as ordinary onions. Sub with red onion, the white part of green onions, or 1 large garlic clove finely minced.

4. Sea salt flakes – a posher flaky type of salt which is a good finishing salt. Just more delicate, lighter spreading of salt across dishes. Because of the shape, 1/2 tsp salt flakes = 1/4 tsp salt grains. So if you don’t have flakes, use half the amount.

Leftovers will keep for a couple of days but this is a dish best eaten freshly made. To take it somewhere, keep all the components separate and serve the tomatoes at room temp (never cold!). See pesto recipe for storage tips so it doesn’t go brown.

Nutrition per serving assuming 4 servings.

Nutrition

Calories: 305cal | Carbohydrates: 7g | Protein: 11g | Fat: 29g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Cholesterol: 37mg | Sodium: 596mg | Potassium: 292mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 1275IU | Vitamin C: 29mg | Calcium: 307mg | Iron: 1mg

Life of Dozer

Overseeing the shooting of today’s recipe. He had useful suggestions for styling (they involved burrata and bread and his mouth).

The post Bursty Tomato Burrata Salad appeared first on RecipeTin Eats.

The secret to my best tomato salad lies not in using costly nor an extensive list of ingredients, but in how it’s constructed. Rather than shaking up a dressing, thick wedges of tomato are sprinkled with minced garlic, shallots and salt, drizzled with olive oil and vinegar then gently tossed before finishing with a sprinkle of basil.

The result? Flavour that sticks to the tomato rather than sliding off like dressing. Try it. I think you’ll love it!

My favourite tomato salad

This is a tomato salad so good, it’s exceptional made even with just-okay winter tomatoes like the ones I used yesterday when re-checking this recipe before publishing it today. So imagine how incredible it is with ripe, juicy, seasonal summer tomatoes!!!

(In case you’re wondering why I’m sharing a summer recipe in the middle of Aussie winter, it’s because half the readers of my website are in the northern hemisphere enjoying summer right now. Not jealous at all! 😭😭🥶)

Why this tomato salad is better

As I mentioned in the opening, the thing that makes this tomato salad different is that rather than shaking up a dressing which we pour over the tomatoes, we sprinkle/drizzle thick wedges of tomato with the ingredients we typically put in a dressing (olive oil, garlic, salt, vinegar).

Changing up the assembly really does make a difference because you get flavour infused from the garlic, shallots and salt into the tomato in a way you can never achieve if you just pour over a dressing!

Ingredients in my favourite tomato salad

Here’s what you need for this tomato salad:

• Tomatoes – Obviously the riper and more seasonal the better! This salad is intended for regular tomatoes, as pictured above. If you’ve got cherry or grape tomatoes, I’d make my Cherry Tomato Salad instead.

• Basil – Classic as a pairing with tomato. But note: this salad is worth making even if you don’t have basil! I sometimes add a pinch of dried oregano or other herb instead. YUM.

• Garlic – Finely minced, then sprinkled straight onto the tomato wedges so they infuse their flavour.

• Eschallots (aka French onion / shallots in the US) – These are sweeter and more delicately flavoured than brown onions and red onions, making them ideal for using raw in salads. Like the garlic, it’s finely minced then sprinkled on to the salad. Try not to skip this ingredient. It’s a secret ingredient in this recipe! Substitute with the white part of green onions, finely minced. Or very finely minced red onion.

• Vinegar – I like to use white wine vinegar. Also, the better the vinegar quality, the better the salad! In fact, that’s one of the key things that makes simple salads at restaurants so good: high quality oils and vinegars. Substitute with apple cider vinegar, champagne vinegar or sherry vinegar.

• Extra virgin olive oil – As noted above, the better the quality, the better your salad! I use economical olive oil for everyday cooking purposes and keep the expensive stuff for salads like this. 😇

• Salt and pepper – The salt draws juices out of the tomato which forms part of the dressing for this salad, as well as seasoning the tomatoes.

How to make my favourite tomato salad

Place the tomatoes in the bowl then sprinkle/drizzle with all the other ingredients except the basil. Toss to coat, add the basil and toss again. And that’s IT!

YUM. This is such a good tomato salad recipe.

Crusty grilled bread for mopping up the tomato juices that pool at the bottom of the bowl is highly encouraged. Or jam in as much tomato as you can between two thick slices of toasted bread, drizzle with an additional bit of oil. SO GOOD!

No video for this recipe because it’s such a quick ‘n easy side salad. I really want to build up my side salads collection but if I try to do a video for all of them it will never happen! So I’m only doing recipe videos for the more involved ones.

Love to know what you think if you try this! What do you think about this different way of building a tomato salad?? – Nagi x

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My favourite Tomato Salad

A big, juicy tomato salad is a staple everyone should know how to make well! Rather than shaking up a dressing, sprinkle the garlic, eshallots/shallots and salt straight onto the tomato wedges. The flavour sticks better.

Use everyday red tomatoes though if you can get them, heirloom tomatoes will add a great splash of colour.

Course Side Salad

Cuisine Italian, Western

Keyword tomato salad

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Servings 4

Calories 117cal

Author Nagi

Ingredients

• 4 ripe tomatoes (180g/ 6oz each) (Note 1)
• 1 1/2 tsp finely minced eschalots (US: shallots) (Note 2)
• 1/2 tsp finely minced garlic (use a knife, not garlic press)
• 1 tbsp white wine vinegar (Note 3)
• 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 3/4 tsp cooking / kosher salt
• 2 pinches white pepper
• 1 1/2 tbsp finely sliced basil leaves , plus extra for garnish (Note 4)

Instructions

• Cut the tomatoes into 8 or 10 wedges, cutting out the core. Place in a large bowl.
• Sprinkle over eschallots, garlic, salt and pepper. Drizzle with olive oil and vinegar.
• Gently toss to coat tomatoes. Add basil, toss again to disperse.
• Pour into bowl and serve immediately! (Tip: Bread for mopping up the tomato juices is on point).

Notes

1. Tomatoes – Obviously the riper the better! But honestly, I made this yesterday in the middle of Aussie winter with just-okay, greenhouse-grown tomatoes and it was still so, so good. If you’ve got cherry tomatoes or grape tomatoes, try my Cherry Tomato Salad instead (it’s designed for them).

2. Eschallots – also known as French Onions and called “shallots” in the US. More delicate and sweeter than brown onions. Substitute with the white part of green onions, finely minced, or very finely minced red onions.

3. Vinegar – Or apple cider vinegar, sherry vinegar or champagne vinegar. Balsamic vinegar is fine too from a flavour perspective but will stain the tomatoes brown.

4. Basil – worth making even without. I like to add a pinch of dried oregano instead.

5. Nutrition per serving.

Nutrition

Calories: 117cal | Carbohydrates: 5g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Sodium: 443mg | Potassium: 294mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 1025IU | Vitamin C: 17mg | Calcium: 14mg | Iron: 1mg

Life of Dozer

Wondering when this endless rain in Sydney is going to ease…. We all are, Dozer! It’s been 7 months solid of non-stop rain.

The post My favourite Tomato Salad appeared first on RecipeTin Eats.

Panzanella is a classic tomato and bread salad from Tuscany. Bursting with ripe tomatoes, juicy cucumber and fragrant basil, it’s hard to think of a salad that screams “summer” more loudly. Chunks of lightly toasted bread bring delicious texture and some heft to the salad, making it filling enough for lunch or a light meal.

Be warned, this salad demands the very best tomatoes! If you don’t have juicy tomatoes, don’t make this. Make another salad instead!

Panzanella – traditional Italian tomato and bread salad

Panzanella is a classic example of Italian cucina povera (literally “food of the poor”). This historically refers to the simple fare of commoners, meals made from humble and seasonal ingredients but no less delicious than the lavish foods gracing the tables of the rich.

In Tuscany, thrifty repurposing of leftover stale bread with the summertime bounty of tomatoes gave birth to this traditional salad.

At its simplest it’s nothing more than torn chunks of stale bread tossed with juicy, ripe tomatoes, and maybe a little olive oil. The real magic happens when the dressing and tomato juices soak into the bread, softening them and melding flavours with the tomatoes.

After making this salad over the years, we’ve made some tweaks to the strictly traditional recipes. We’ve found toasting the bread yields far better results, and additions like a little cucumber and some garlic in the dressing add interest.

Toasting the bread isn’t strictly traditional. But it stops it from turning into white unidentifiable mush within minutes of tossing with dressing. Don’t skip it!

Ingredients in Panzanella

Here’s what goes in the salad:

• JUICY ripe tomatoes – You need to use the absolute best quality tomatoes you can find. They must be juicy and ripe, so they drop plenty of tomato juices this is used to make the dressing.

  So if you don’t have juicy tomatoes, make another salad instead!

• Cucumbers – I’ve peeled the cucumbers here, but this is purely decorative, to introduce some colour variation. Telegraph/English cucumber skins can also be a little tough (ie the long cucumbers). But peeling is totally optional.

• Basil leaves – Always present in a good Panzanella!

• Stale bread – Best breads (in order of preference):
  – ciabatta
  – pane di casa / artisan loaf
  – open-crumbed sourdough (ie. hole-y, not dense)
  – Turkish bread

  Breads that sit in the middle of the spectrum of denseness work best. We want a bread with an open crumb, but still some heft.

  Don’t use baguettes or dinner rolls. They’re too light and will disintegrate on contact with dressing. Bread that is too dense on the other hand also won’t work right.

  In terms of quantities, breads vary in denseness and thus weight, so go by volume ratios. You want an approximate 1:2 ratio of bread to vegetables.

  DON’T use stale bread without toasting. I did this once, and after only half an hour, the bread was such a soggy, goopy mess that someone asked me what “that white stuff” was in the salad. When I told him it was bread he replied, “Oh, right. I thought it was tofu …” Ouch. I’ve been toasting the bread ever since!

Panzanella Dressing

Here’s what goes in the Panzanella Dressing:

• Extra virgin olive oil – Use the best quality you can afford, for the best flavour!

• White wine vinegar – It’s a little more rounded and better flavoured than ordinary white vinegar. Red wine vinegar can also be used. Other options: cider vinegar, sherry vinegar, champagne vinegar or white balsamic.

• Dijon mustard – This thickens the dressing so it coats the ingredients nicely, as well as introducing a little extra flavour.

• Garlic – Not usually present in traditional Panzanella, but it improves the salad two-fold in my book!

How and what to serve with Panzanella

With the bread in this salad, this is totally meal-worthy (yes, that’s a qualification in my world – see here for all my meal-worthy salads!). It will serve 3 normal adults as a meal (or 2 1/2 people with healthy appetites such as myself!)

Otherwise, serve it as a side dish. Alongside anything Italian would be an obvious choice, though really, it’s going to be right at home alongside anything Western/European. It also makes what I call a nice two-in-one side dish. That is, a starch (bread) and vegetables combined in the one dish which is always handy, as it saves you making two separate side dishes to tick the two boxes.

Let me know if you make this, and what you serve it with! I’m always interested to hear what you’re making! – Nagi x

PS. No video for the 3 simple side salads I’m sharing today! (This Panzanella, a Blood Orange Salad and the Garden Salad). But if you do want a video, just give me a shout out below and I’ll do one for you once summer rolls round and I can get my hands on some ripe tomatoes!

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Panzanella (Italian tomato and bread salad)

Panzanella is a classic tomato and bread salad from Tuscany. Bursting with ripe tomatoes, cucumber and basil, it's hard to think of a salad that screams "summer" any louder. Chunks of lightly toasted bread meanwhile bring delicious texture and some heft to the salad, making it filling enough for lunch or a light meal.

Be warned, this salad demands the very best tomatoes! If you don't have juicy tomatoes, don't make this. Make another salad instead!

And though some Italians may tell you toasting bread is not the traditional way to make Panzanella, don't skip it. That is, unless you WANT unidentifiable white mush in your bowl within minutes of making this!

Course Side Salad

Cuisine Italian

Keyword bread salad, italian bread salad, italian tomato salad, Panzanella, stale bread recipe

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes minutes

Sweating tomato, resting and cooling 25 minutes minutes

Total Time 50 minutes minutes

Servings 4 – 5 people as a side

Calories 431cal

Author Nagi

Ingredients

• 4 – 5 cups (loosely packed) stale bread , torn into 2.5cm/1” chunks (~180g/6 oz, depending on bread used)
• 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 4 medium tomatoes (Note 1)
• 1 tsp cooking/kosher salt (or 3/4 tsp table salt)
• 2 Lebanese cucumbers (or 1 long telegraph/English cucumber), peeled (optional) (Note 3)
• 1 cup basil leaves , loosely packed

Dressing:

• 2 tbsp red or white wine vinegar (Note 4 for other options)
• 1 tsp Dijon mustard
• 8 tbsp extra virgin olive oil , the best you can afford
• 1 1/2 tsp garlic , finely minced (~1 large or 2 small)
• 1/4 tsp salt

Cups – Metric

Instructions

Toast bread:

• Preheat oven to 180°C /350°F (160°C fan).
• Toss bread chunks with 1 tbsp olive oil in a bowl.
• Toast: Spread bread on a a tray and toast for about 15 minutes, until the outside is becoming golden and crunchy but the inside is still a little soft, like toast. Remove and leave to cool.

Salad:

• Cut tomato into 8 wedges each. Cut some of these wedges into half (I like irregular shapes for this rustic salad).
• Sweat tomato with salt: Put tomatoes into a colander over a large bowl. Season with the salt, toss and set aside for 10 minutes to draw out the juices. RESERVE the tomato juice in the bowl for the dressing.
• Cut cucumber into any shaped chunks aroun 2.5cm / 1" pieces. Again, I like to do irregular but even-sized shapes.
• Toss veg: Place tomato sweating in colander into large bowl. Add cucumber and basil, toss gently.
• Tomato Dressing: Add Dressing ingredients into bowl holding the tomato juice, whisk well.
• Dress salad: Add bread to salad, pour over dressing. Give it a light toss.
• Rest then serve: Leave for 5 minutes to let the juices soak into the bread, tossing once or twice. Toss once more just before serving!

Notes

1. Juicy and ripe tomatoes! You need to use the absolute best quality tomatoes you can find. They must be juicy and ripe, so they drop plenty of tomato juices when salted. Use all the tomato juice you catch for the dressing!

2. Bread – You want a 1:2 ratio of bread to vegetables by volume, ie. twice the amount of vegetables as bread.

Breads that sit in the middle of the spectrum of denseness work best. We want a bread with an open crumb, but still some heft. Best breads (in order of preference): ciabatta, pane di casa / artisan loaf, open-crumbed sourdough (ie. hole-y, not dense), Turkish bread.

Toasting bread is not strictly traditional. But unless you toast, it turns into unidentifiable soggy mush within minutes of dressing!

Don’t use baguettes or dinner rolls (too light) nor use bread that’s too dense.

3. Cucumber peeling – Recommended for telegraph/English cucumbers which can have tougher skin. Optional for other softer skin cucumbers – I do it for visual interest.

4. Other vinegar options: cider vinegar, sherry vinegar, champagne vinegar or white balsamic.

5. References – Thanks to Kenji from Serious Eats for the panzanella trick of salting the tomatoes and using the juices as part of the dressing.

Nutrition

Calories: 431cal | Carbohydrates: 32g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 32g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 23g | Sodium: 972mg | Potassium: 539mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 1500IU | Vitamin C: 23mg | Calcium: 51mg | Iron: 1mg

Life of Dozer

The warmest spot in the house!

The post Panzanella (Italian tomato & bread salad) appeared first on RecipeTin Eats.

Here’s something different for you – a French influenced Tomato Salad with Olive Tapenade! This is a brilliant combination – the salty briny tapenade really brings out the sweetness and juiciness of tomatoes.

Try it. It will surprise you!

Welcome to Day 12 of the inaugural Holiday Salad Marathon, where I’m sharing 30 salads in a row through to Christmas Eve – just for something different to the usual sugar-loaded baking countdowns!!

Today, something FRENCH(ish):

Tomato Salad with Olive Tapenade

This is a great tomato salad reminiscent of the south of France with the use of black olive tapenade.

You can throw this together in minutes if you’ve already got a pre-bought jar of olive tapenade lying around in your fridge, else it’s worth making the tapenade yourself from scratch if you’re just looking to make a tomato salad that’s a little different!

The salty tang of the olive tapenade adds flavour interest while bringing out the sweetness in the juicy tomatoes. A few sprigs of parsley (or basil or oregano if you prefer) to garnish, and you have a colourful plate beaming with summer vibes on your table.

What you need for this Tomato Salad

Here’s what you need – this includes the ingredients for making the olive tapenade from scratch:

Really, the only key thing that matters in the above is JUICY RIPE TOMATOES!! You could just slice them, sprinkle with salt, pepper and olive oil and it’s STILL knock-your-socks-off good!

Anchovy? I get it, not everyone likes anchovies. You can leave them out. If so, add another teaspoon of capers instead.

What is tapenade?

Tapenade is the French name for an intensely savoury, salty paste made of olives, capers, anchovies, garlic and olive oil, usually associated with Provence in the south of France. Other Mediterranean countries have similar preparations, but we’re making the French version here.

It’s typically used as a condiment, a dip or a spread. In our case, we’re using it as a kind of dressing or “pesto” as it goes so well with fresh tomatoes.

And it is literally a dump-and-blitz job (I use my NutriBullet here).

We do make more tapenade than we need because it’s impractical and more difficult to make small quantities of tapenade. But having leftovers is a bonus with this recipe because tapenade is wonderfully versatile and I provide suggestions for uses later in the post. You can never have too much!

Hope you enjoy! – Nagi x

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This is my inaugural Christmas recipe countdown where I am sharing 30 salad recipes in a row until Christmas Eve – something completely different to people’s usual baking countdowns!

These salads are in addition to my regular 3 new recipes a week. Because aren’t you bored of the usual tomato-cucumber-lettuce garden salad routine??

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Tomato Salad with Olive Tapenade

This is a great tomato salad that makes the most of juicy ripe tomatoes when they're in season! French influence with the use of black olive tapenade, the salty tang of the tapenade adds flavour interest while bringing out the sweetness in the juicy tomatoes.

If you've got a jar of tapenade lying around, this will take minutes to prepare. Otherwise, it's worth making your own – freshly made tapenade has real olive flavour unlike any you can buy in a jar!

Course Side Salad

Cuisine French, Western

Keyword olive tapenade, tomato salad

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Servings 4 – 6 people

Calories 79cal

Author Nagi

Ingredients

Tomato Salad:

• 5 tomatoes , medium sized, sliced into 1cm/ 0.2" thick rounds
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup flat leaf parsley leaves , left whole or roughly torn
• Extra olive oil , for drizzling

Tapenade:

• 1 cup kalamata or other black deli olives , preferably unpitted (Note 1)
• 2 tsp capers , drained or rinsed (if packed in salt), chopped
• 1 garlic clove , medium, minced
• 1 large or 2 small anchovy fillets (Note 2), minced
• 1/4 tsp red or white wine vinegar
• 4 – 5 tbsp extra virgin olive oil , use your best stuff!

Cups – Metric

Instructions

• Season tomatoes: Place sliced tomatoes into a bowl. Sprinkle over the salt and toss well but gently. Leave to sit for 15 mins, then drain off any liquid the tomatoes have dropped. Meanwhile make the tapenade.

Tapenade:

• Pit olives if required. Combine olives, capers, garlic, anchovy and vinegar in a blender or food processor. Smaller is better, eg. a Nutribullet.
• Add 4 tbsp of olive oil and blend until a rough paste forms, scraping down the sides as you go. If the paste is very thick and you are having trouble blending, add another 1 tbsp of olive oil to help it along.
• You should have a nice paste that’s combined to a smooth but not super-fine puree (we want a little character), and isn’t excessively oily.

Assemble:

• Drain your tomatoes one last time, then arrange slices overlapping on a large plate or platter. Dollop over the tomatoes 1/3 of the tapenade, or as much as you feel you want.
• Garnish with parsley leaves. Drizzle salad with a little more olive oil (~1 tbsp). Serve with some remaining tapenade on the side so people can help themselves.

Notes

1. Olives – Do not use the black olives you find unrefrigerated in jars on supermarket shelves, they lack the intense olive flavour and briny tang that is the heart and soul of tapenade. Buy fresh olives either from a deli or deli section of supermarkets, or in refrigerated tubs.

Try to buy olives that are unpitted and pit them yourself, because they have better flavour and are less soggy. The easiest way to pit olives I find is just squash them with your fingers or the flat of a knife, and pull out the seed.

You can use green olives if you wish but it’s less traditional and will look more like a pesto.

2. Anchovies – can substitute with 1/2 tsp anchovy paste. If you leave them out, add another teaspoon of capers instead.

3. Tapenade leftover – You’ll probably have leftover tapenade, it is hard to make a smaller batch. But it’s a bonus! It will keep for 2 weeks easily. Use for:

• Stir through cooked pasta! Add more oil or salt it needed;
• Spread on crostini or bread, or dot over creamy layer of ricotta, cream cheese or goat’s cheese. Also great in sandwiches!
• Dollop generously over a ball of fresh buffalo mozzarella or burrata, serve as part of an antipasto platter;
• Use as a dip for crackers or crudites (raw vegetables);
• Serve as a condiment alongside fish, seafood, chicken and even lamb (a very Provençal combination, in fact);
• Toss boiled potatoes in tapenade and chopped herbs of your choice;
• Mix into mayonnaise to give it some perky flavour and colour;
• Combine with softened butter and refrigerate. Use as a flavoured butter on meats or grilled veg.

4. Nutrition per serving assuming 6 servings, assuming half the tapenade is used.

Nutrition

Calories: 79cal | Carbohydrates: 5g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 299mg | Potassium: 271mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 1319IU | Vitamin C: 21mg | Calcium: 23mg | Iron: 1mg

Life of Dozer

When mum was tasked with picking up a simple dog bed for Dozer for the studio, the next thing I saw her doing was THIS 😂:

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