Recipe (Re)creation: Summer Spaghetti with Heirloom Tomatoes, Basil, Toasted Hazelnuts + Burrata

This pasta dish is an ode to summer produce.  It was inspired by a recipe I came across in the summer eating issue of Bon Appétit.  I adapted it by adding the flavor combinations I crave on a regular basis while also sticking to the ingredients I had on hand.  Feel free to double or triple this recipe for a crowd.  It's very straightforward and simple and relies on the freshest produce for all the best flavors to come through. Get yourself to the farmer's market and start cooking!

Serves 2

Ingredients

• 6-8 oz. spaghetti
• 1/3 cup hazelnuts
• 1 large heirloom tomato (or 2 medium ones)
• 1-2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes
• 1/2 cup basil leaves
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• Kosher salt & pepper
• Burrata (as much as you'd like)

Directions

-Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and toast the hazelnuts on a baking sheet for 8-10 minutes.
-Let the hazelnuts cool, coarsely chop them, and set aside.
-Roughly chop up the heirloom tomato in 1 inch cubes, place in a bowl and season with salt.
-Bring a large pot of salted water to boil and cook the spaghetti until al dente.
-While the pasta is cooking, throw the garlic, red pepper flakes, 1/4 cup basil leaves, half of the chopped tomatoes and half of the hazelnuts and a pinch of salt in a food processor and blend until smooth.
-Drain the pasta and reserve 1/8 cup of the pasta water.
-Add the tomatoes, the blended sauce, the spaghetti, extra pasta water and the remaining hazelnuts and basil to a large bowl.
-Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
-Divide evenly among two bowls and top with generous spoonfuls of burrata.
-Enjoy!

Recipe Creation: Fava Bean + Burrata + Radish Crostini

Holy goodness! I have been obsessed with fava beans for some time now and LOVE that so many San Francisco restaurants are offering a variety of dishes showcasing this lovely little green bean.  My favorite dish with fava beans has to be a fava crostini. I recently had one at Firefly, one at Locanda, and one at Contigo.  I decided to combine all of my favorite elements of those and add my two other favorite ingredients: radishes and burrata.  I also used Judy's Lovesticks to make the crostini, since I love the added nutty flavor the sunflower seeds add.  This dish is a perfect appetizer on a warm evening.  It's almost as beautiful as it is delicious.  Enjoy!

Makes 10-12 crostini

Ingredients:

• 1/2 lb. fresh fava beans
• 2 tbsp. finely grated parmesan
• 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/4 cup roughly chopped mint
• 1/2 lemon, juiced
• 1/2 cup fresh burrata cheese
• 2 radishes, thinly sliced
• 2 tbsp. balsamic reduction
• 10-12 slices of baguette

Directions:

-Preheat the broiler and bring a medium saucepan of salted water to boil. 

-Remove the favas from the shells and blanch in boiling water for about 5 minutes.

-Transfer favas to a small ice bath to cool and peel off the waxy outer layer.

-In a small Cuisinart, combine the favas, parmesan, olive oil, mint, and lemon juice.

-Pulse until well blended, but not perfectly smooth.

-Meanwhile, brush bread slices with olive oil and broil for 1 minute on each side.

-Remove from oven and slather with a spoonful of the fava mixture.

-Top with radish slices, a dollop of burrata, and a drizzle of balsamic reduction.

-Garnish with any leftover mint leaves and transfer to a platter for immediate consumption.

Recipe (Re)creation: Burrata Summer Salad

Happy 4th of July!  I made this lovely little salad for a BBQ I threw over the weekend and it disappeared within minutes.  I based it on this recipe from What's Gaby Cooking.  The key to the salad is fresh, seasonal ingredients.  Look for white peaches, colorful heirloom tomatoes, basil, and fresh white corn at the farmer's market.  With the basil in particular, the smell alone will make you swoon.  When you buy the burrata, make sure its packed in salted water in a little plastic baggy.  It is best when eaten within 24 hours but that shouldn't be a problem.  I guarantee this salad will be gone well before the fireworks can attempt steal its thunder.

Ingredients:

• 2 ears of white corn, shucked and cut off the cob
• 3 heirloom tomatoes, sliced
• 2 white peaches
• 5 ounces burrata, torn
• 6 large basil leaves, sliced thinly
• Sea salt flakes (Maldon is best)
• Balsamic reduction

Directions:

-Assemble all vegetable and fruit ingredients in a large bowl.

-Top with creamy bits of burrata and fresh basil slices.

-Sprinkle with sea salt flakes and drizzle with balsamic reduction.

-Serve (and devour) immediately.

Restaurant (Re)creation: Beretta's Eggplant Caponatina

This antipasto is a MUST when dining at Beretta.  It is tangy, light, and nutty and is the perfect appetizer to share while you are waiting for your main.  They offer the option of adding burrata, which just makes the dish all that more amazing.  I found the actual restaurant recipe online in a 7x7 article and just made a few tweaks.  Rather than frying the eggplant, I roasted it to lighten the dish a bit.  I also topped the caponatina with burrata (a must) and a little squeeze of lemon.  Other than that, you can thank Chef Ruggero Gadaldi for this beautiful creation.  Plus, it was featured in 7x7's 100 Things To Try Before You Die- so you can check one more dish off your list.

Serves 4-6 (as an appetizer)

Ingredients:

• 4 medium sized Japanese eggplants
• 1 stalk celery
• 1/2 basket cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1-2 tablespoons chopped basil
• 1 tablespoon capers
• 2 tablespoons chopped green olives
• 1 tablespoon toasted pine nuts
• 2 tablespoons white balsamic vinegar
• 1/2 cup fresh burrata (optional)
• 1/2 lemon wedge, squeezed
• Olive oil, for roasting
• Salt & pepper 

Directions:

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

Meanwhile, peel eggplants, leaving some stripes and cut into 1 inch cubes.

Toss with olive oil and season with salt a pepper.

Roast the eggplant cubes on a baking sheet for 20-25 minutes, or until tender.

Meanwhile, cut celery into 1/3 inch cubes and cook in boiling water for two minutes.

Remove celery, strain it, and let it cool.

Toss the eggplant, celery, tomatoes, capers, olives, and pine nuts together with with white balsamic vinegar.

Top with fresh burrata and season with salt and pepper.

Serve with toasted bread or simply eat it on its own!

Enjoy!


Beretta
1199 Valencia Street
San Francisco, CA
(415) 695-1199
http://berettasf.com/

Restaurant (Re)creation: SPQR's Burrata Crostini

~SPQR's Burrata Crostini~

~Close-up of my Burrata Crostini (Re)creation~

~My Burrata Crostini (Re)creation~

SPQR does many things well, but my favorite dishes are their starters and antipasti.  I had this crostini at SPQR for brunch one day and it was love at first bite.  Its the perfect dish to whet your appetite and its very much a crowd pleaser.  It looks sophisticated but its surprisingly easy and wonderfully scrumptious.  The crostini at SPQR is topped with burrata, fried sage, hazelnuts, chili, and honey.  To add a twist to their version, I used truffle honey instead and omitted the chili.  I also used a bit of fried rosemary in addition to the sage.  You can do plenty of variations depending on your mood, your taste buds, and what's leftover in your fridge.

Ingredients:

• Rustic baguette, cut into 1/2 slices
• 1 container of resh burrata
• 20 sage leaves
• 1 sprig of rosemary
• Truffle honey (or regular honey)
• 1/2 cup raw (or roasted) hazelnuts
• 2-3 tbsp olive oil

Directions:

For the hazelnuts:

Preheat oven to 400.  Place hazelnuts in a baking dish and bake for 10-15 minutes.  Remove from heat.

Cover hazelnuts with a towel to steam and let them cool (5 minutes).

With your fingers, rub the skins off the hazelnuts to the best of your ability and set aside.

For the sage & rosemary:

Pour 1 tbsp olive oil into a small skillet.  Remove rosemary leaves from stem.  Add sage and rosemary leaves and fry until crispy (5 minutes).

Remove leaves with a slotted spoon and place on a paper towel to dry.

For the crostini:

Brush olive oil on both sides of each slice of bread.  Place on a baking sheet and bake for 10-12 minutes, turning over once so they are crispy on both sides.

Assembly:

Generously spread burrata on each crostini, then top with sage, rosemary and hazelnuts.   Drizzle with truffle honey and enjoy.

Bón Appetit

SPQR
spqrsf.com
1911 Filmore St
San Francisco, CA
(415) 771-7779