Mozza Caprese
For me, a “tell” for a restaurant I probably don’t want to eat in is seeing a Caprese salad on the menu when tomatoes are out of season. I knew I wanted to serve a Caprese at the Pizzeria, both because everyone loves it and because it is an icon of a casual, inexpensive Italian restaurant. Since we opened in November, when tomatoes were no longer in season, I took it as a challenge to figure out how to present these flavors in a way that was every bit as good as a Caprese made with sweet, vine-ripened summer tomatoes, even when such tomatoes were nowhere to be found. This adaptation, which I first named Winter Caprese, consists of fresh burrata cheese, basil pesto, and cherry tomatoes on the vine that have been slow-roasted to concentrate their sweetness and flavor. I changed its name to Mozza Caprese when winter ended, tomatoes came into season, and it had become so popular that I could not take it off the menu. I suggest you serve it with Fett’Unta (page 65) to sop up the wonderful, juicy flavors left on your plate. The recipe for slow-roasted tomatoes makes enough for six or more of these salads, and the pesto recipe will give you more than enough pesto for that many. So, to expand the number of servings you make, just increase the amount of burrata you buy.
Recipe information
Yield
serves 6
Ingredients
Slow-Roasted Cherry Tomatoes
Preparation
Step 1
Cut the burrata into six equal-size segments and lay each segment, cut side up, on a salad plate. Season the burrata with sea salt and spoon 1 teaspoon of pesto over each portion of cheese. Use scissors to cut the tomatoes into clusters of one, two, or three tomatoes. Carefully lift the tomatoes by the stems and gently rest one cluster atop each serving of cheese, choosing the largest clusters. Stack another cluster on top of the first, with the stem at an opposing angle, and then stack the remaining clusters on top of the first, creating a small pile of tomatoes two to three stacks high, with about five to seven tomatoes per serving. (The idea is for the tomatoes to look pretty and like they are comfortably nestled into the burrata.) Drizzle about 1/2 teaspoon of the finishing-quality olive oil over each salad, scatter the micro or miniature basil leaves or use scissors to snip one large basil leaf over each salad, and serve with the Fett’Unta on the side, if desired.
Slow-Roasted Cherry Tomatoes
Step 2
Adjust the oven rack to the middle position and preheat the oven to 300°F.
Step 3
Place a wire rack on top of a baking sheet. Gently lift the tomatoes out of the boxes, taking care to keep the tomatoes attached to the stems as much as possible. Brush the tomatoes with the olive oil and season with the salt and pepper. Place the tomatoes in the oven to roast until their skins are shriveled but the tomatoes are still plump, about 1 1/2 hours. Remove the tomatoes from the oven and allow them to cool to room temperature. Use the tomatoes, or cover with plastic wrap and store at room temperature for up to one day or refrigerate for up to three days. Bring the tomatoes to room temperature before serving.
Suggested Wine Pairing
Step 4
Erbaluce di Caluso (Piedmont)
