SLOW-ROASTED TOMATO AND BURRATA WINTER CAPRESE

Posted on by Laura Geraty – By

We’re in the thick of it in the north east. You know you’ve reached the dead of winter when a 40-degree day feels downright balmy. But here we are, so let’s make the best of it by keeping our ovens on for hours and making this slow-roasted tomato and burrata winter caprese.

Yes, I know, tomatoes are horrid this time of year. They look pretty with their taut bright skin. They feel pleasantly heavy, like they would be packed with juicy goodness. But slice into whatever you can find at the supermarket and you are gifted with all the flavor of…water. Ever so subtle tomatoey water but really just water. And the texture is usually pretty disappointing too.

So let’s leave those superficial tomatoes in the produce aisle and head into the center of the market, which by the way is packed with TONS of healthy ingredients despite its bad rap. There you will find every variety of canned tomatoes, perfectly harvested at the height of their ripeness and preserved for just this occasion.

Canned tomatoes, bathed in olive oil over several hours in the oven then dotted with the best quality mozzarella you can get your hands on will deliver you a winter caprese that rivals any late summer version. Don’t forget to finish the dish with a little lemon zest and juice though. It wakes the whole thing up.

Variations
  • I’m suggesting you make these tomatoes into this winter caprese but they are equally delicious tossed with pasta or a whole grain like farro, or stored in the fridge and tucked into sandwiches whenever you have the hankering.
  • Substitute the burrata for regular fresh mozzarella, fresh goat cheese or feta.
  • I haven’t tried it yet but feel like it would be amazing to add a drained can of cannellini beans or chickpeas to the tomatoes and slow roast them in that olive oil all together.
  • Feel free to use thyme or rosemary in place of the oregano. You could also experiment with adding in fennel seed or cracked coriander seeds.
  • Do not discard the excess cooking olive oil. Use it in vinaigrettes, to dip warm bread into, to drizzle over salmon for roasting and more. It is liquid gold.

Now it’s your turn to make it! If you do, let me know how you like it here and/or share a picture and tag me @whatweeat.nyc on Instagram. If you’d like to see me make this live, check this out.

Happy cooking!

SLOW ROASTED TOMATO AND BURRATA WINTER CAPRESE

Serves 4

Ingredients
  • 1 28-32 oz can whole peeled tomatoes
  • 4-8 garlic cloves, smashed
  • 3-4 sprigs fresh oregano
  • 3/4 cup evoo
  • 1/4 tsp kosher salt
  • Small pinch red pepper flakes
  • 8 oz burrata or fresh mozzarella (or feta or goat cheese!)
  • Fresh basil
  • Zest and juice from 1/2 lemon
  • Maldon salt
Method
  1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees.
  2. Drain canned tomatoes. Gently rip them in half to allow the seeds to fall out. (Feel free to save tomato juice, not the seeds because they can be bitter, to add to soups or sauces.)
  3. Add tomatoes to a small baking dish (8x8ish) in a single layer. Tuck the smashed garlic here and there towards the center of the dish (so they don’t burn on the sides), top with oregano then season with salt and red pepper flakes. Drizzle evoo over the top. The tomatoes should be mostly submerged but its fine if they are popping out here and there.
  4. Slow roast for 2-2.5 hours until tomatoes appear very shriveled and lightly browned in places. Remove from the oven and cool to room temperature. (This would also be delicious served hot if you prefer but the cheese will melt a touch.)
  5. Place tomatoes in a shallow serving vessel, leaving most of the cooking evoo behind (save it!!*). Dot with burrata or other cheese of choice, making sure you include all of the milky goodness. Top with lemon zest and a squeeze of lemon juice, fresh basil leaves and a sprinkle of Maldon salt. Serve with fresh, top-quality bread or olive oil-fried bread (aka fettunta, recipe below).

FETTUNTA (OR OLIVE OIL-FRIED BREAD)

Note, what you are looking for is for the outside of the toast to be shatteringly crisp while the inside remains soft.

Ingredients
  • 4 slices bread, thickly sliced (1.5-2 in thick)
  • Generous amount of evoo
  • 1 clove garlic
  • Maldon Salt
Method

Preheat a cast iron skillet over medium heat. When hot, drizzle in enough evoo to coat the bottom of the pan generously. Add bread (in batches), weighing it down if possible with something like a second cast iron skillet. You want that bread to make solid contact. Fry/toast for 3-4 minutes a side until lightly browned and crisp. Drizzle top sides with additional evoo and flip, returning the weight and fry the second side. Remove the perfectly cooked toast, rub with the halved garlic clove then sprinkle with Maldon salt. Enjoy!