There’s something about August that makes cooking feel wonderfully simple. Tomatoes are at their sweetest, basil arrives by the bunch, and some of the best meals begin by letting beautiful farmers market ingredients speak for themselves.
This Heirloom Tomato & Burrata Board is made for exactly that kind of evening: colorful tomatoes, creamy burrata, fresh basil oil and warm pieces of homemade focaccia meant for tearing, dipping and sharing.
Set everything in the middle of the table and let everyone gather around. No perfect plating required.
Serves 6–8 for sharing
Ingredients
- 3-4 large heirloom tomatoes, choosing a mix of colors and varieties
- 1 pint cherry or sungold tomatoes
- 2 balls fresh burrata
- 1 handful fresh basil leaves
- Extra-virgin olive oil
- Flaky sea salt (we love Maldon salt in the green box)
- Freshly cracked black pepper
- Fresh Basil Oil, recipe below
- Warm Rosemary Sea Salt Focaccia, recipe below
To Assemble
Slice the larger heirloom tomatoes into a mix of rounds and wedges and halve some of the smaller tomatoes.
Arrange the tomatoes generously across a large serving board or platter. Don’t worry about making it too perfect, the different shapes, colors and sizes are part of what makes it beautiful.
Nestle the burrata among the tomatoes, leaving the balls whole until you’re ready to serve.
Spoon the Fresh Basil Oil generously over the tomatoes and around the burrata. Finish with flaky sea salt, freshly cracked pepper, a few fresh basil leaves and an extra drizzle of good olive oil.
Just before serving, gently break open the burrata so all that creamy goodness begins to mingle with the tomatoes and basil oil.
Serve immediately with warm focaccia for dipping into everything left behind on the board.
Fresh Farmers Market Basil Oil
Fresh basil transforms a simple bottle of olive oil into something you’ll want to spoon over just about everything.
Ingredient
- 2 packed cups fresh basil leaves
- ¾ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 small garlic clove
- 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt, plus more to taste
Directions
Add the basil, olive oil, garlic, lemon juice and salt to a blender or small food processor.
Blend until the basil is finely broken down and the oil becomes a beautiful vibrant green.
Taste and adjust the salt or lemon as desired.
For a rustic basil oil, use it exactly as it is. For a smoother finishing oil, strain it through a fine-mesh sieve before serving.
Market Tip: Make a little extra. It’s delicious drizzled over grilled vegetables, eggs, sandwiches, roasted potatoes or tomorrow’s tomatoes.
Store leftover basil oil covered in the refrigerator and use within a few days.
Easy Rosemary & Sea Salt Focaccia Recipe
Don’t let homemade bread intimidate you. Focaccia is wonderfully forgiving, and the combination of olive oil, fresh rosemary and flaky salt makes this simple version worthy of everything else on the board. (A Little Planning Tip: Start your focaccia about 3 hours before you’d like to serve it. Most of that time is hands-off while the dough rises, leaving plenty of time to prep your tomatoes, burrata and basil oil.)
Ingredients
- 2¼ teaspoons active dry or instant yeast (1 packet)
- 1¾ cups warm water
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 4 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for the pan and finishing
- 2–3 sprigs fresh rosemary
- Flaky sea salt
Directions
Make the dough.
Combine the warm water, yeast and honey in a large bowl. If using active dry yeast, allow it to sit for about 5 minutes until slightly foamy.
Add the flour, kosher salt and ¼ cup olive oil. Stir with a wooden spoon or sturdy spatula until a sticky, shaggy dough forms. No intensive kneading necessary.
Let it rise.
Cover the bowl and allow the dough to rise in a warm place for about 1-1½ hours, or until roughly doubled in size.
Generously coat a 9-by-13-inch baking pan with olive oil. Transfer the dough to the pan and gently stretch it toward the edges. If it springs back, give it 10 minutes to relax and try again.
Cover and let rise for another 30-45 minutes.
Make those focaccia dimples.
Heat the oven to 425°F.
Drizzle the dough generously with olive oil. Using your fingertips, press deeply into the dough to create dimples all across the surface.
Scatter fresh rosemary over the top and finish with flaky sea salt.
Bake for approximately 22-28 minutes, until beautifully golden on top and lightly crisp around the edges.
Let cool slightly before cutting, or better yet, tearing into generous pieces for the table.
Make It Farmers Market Fresh
This is one of those recipes that should change depending on what catches your eye at the market.
Choose tomatoes in different colors, shapes and sizes. Pick up basil while it’s abundant. Look for locally made burrata or fresh cheese, artisan olive oil, local honey and fragrant rosemary.
And if you’re lucky enough to find a market baker selling fresh focaccia? We won’t tell anyone if you skip making your own.
The goal isn’t perfection. It’s putting something beautiful in the middle of the table and giving everyone a reason to gather around it.