SoCal food blogger and James Beard Award-nominated cookbook author Sara Forte released her latest cookbook, “Around Our Table,” which offers a peek into her life in addition to family-friendly recipes like this grilled peach and burrata salad.
The following recipe is excerpted with permission from “Around Our Table” by Sara Forte published by Hardie Grant Publishing, April 2024, RRP $40.00 Hardcover.
Grilled Peach and Burrata Salad with Breadcrumb Crispies
SERVES 4
I consider this a side dish for a summer backyard BBQ, either as a salad or to pile on grilled bread. It is a simple summer crowd-pleaser when you get your hands on perfect tomatoes and peaches, the ones you can smell just by being near them.
If you have your food processor out, make pesto from scratch (page 280) but a trusted shortcut is the one at Costco. It is pretty great; just add a splash of water and lemon to thin it.
Ingredients:
FOR THE CRUMBS
½ a loaf of day-old sourdough or country bread (GF works)
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon dried Italian herbs
1 teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon sea salt
½ teaspoon pepper
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
Extra virgin olive oil
2 peaches, pitted and cut in thick wedges
FOR THE VINAIGRETTE
1⁄4 cup / 110g prepared pesto (page 280)
1 tablespoon water
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 cups / 40 g baby arugula
1 bundle of basil, torn
1 pint / 300 g cherry tomatoes, halved
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
Sea salt and pepper
2 balls (4 ounces / 113 g) of burrata, drained and split
1⁄3 cup / 40 g toasted pine nuts
Preparation:
For the breadcrumbs, tear up the bread and pulse in a food processor until you get large pebbly crumbs. Preheat the oven to 375°F / 190°C and dump the crumbs onto a rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle on the oil, sprinkle with the dried Italian herbs, garlic powder, salt, and pepper, and toss to coat. Bake for 10 minutes, stir, sprinkle the grated Parmesan on top, and bake another 5minutes. Set aside to cool and crisp up.
Heat your grill or grill pan to medium heat. Oil the pan and all sides of the peaches and season with salt and pepper. Grill the peaches, flesh-side down, for about 4 minutes per side. Remove to cool.
Stir together the pesto vinaigrette ingredients.
Toss the arugula, basil, and tomatoes with the olive oil, balsamic, and a big pinch of salt and pepper. Arrange the greens on a serving platter with the peaches on top, and finish with the split burrata balls. Drizzle the pesto vinaigrette, sprinkle with the breadcrumbs and toasted pine nuts, and serve immediately.
Everyday Pesto MAKES 1 CUP / 240 ml
A classic! And used for so much more than just pasta. If you can’t find fragrant basil, a combination of parsley and cilantro makes for a lovely winter pesto. You can swap in different nuts and seeds accordingly; I like cilantro and pepita or smoked almonds and parsley. They all make excellent dipping sauces with grilled chicken and vegetable skewers or hearty pasta sauces. If you use it for warm pasta dishes, incorporate some of the pasta water (and a nub of butter!) to help the pesto spread.
INGREDIENTS:
2 cloves garlic
3 tablespoons / 20 g lightly toasted pine nuts
1 teaspoon sea salt
1⁄2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
2 cups / 40 g basil leaves, packed
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1⁄2 cup / 120 ml extra-virgin olive oil
1⁄4 cup / 25 g grated Parmesan cheese
PREPARATION:
In a food processor, combine the garlic, pine nuts, salt, and pepper and pulse a few times to mince. Add the basil, lemon juice, and olive oil and pulse a few more times. Add the Parmesan and pulse again to your desired texture. If it looks dry, add a splash of water. Season to taste.
Transfer to a container with a lid and store in the fridge for up to a week.
Tip for keeping it bright green? Bring a pot of salted water to a boil, and leave a bowl of ice water ready next to it. Blanch the basil leaves for five seconds. No more, no less. Count to five and then transfer to the ice bath to shock them. Drain completely. Is this essential? No. But it does keep it a vibrant green for longer.
