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A Delicious Appetizer to Welcome the Holidays

Posted By brosbottom On December 8, 2021 @ 2:18 pm In Food News | No Comments

Burrata with Roasted Grapes and Red Onions on Toasted Crostini

Crostini
1 baguette cut into 20 1/4-inch thick slices (Save extra baguette for another use.)
About 5 tablespoons olive oil
Kosher salt

Burrata and Garnishes
2 medium red onions (about 1 pound total)
Olive oil
Kosher salt and freshy ground black pepper
1 bunch red seedless grapes (about 12 ounces), separated into 4 to 5 small clusters
Two 4-ounce burratas (See market tip.)
1 1/2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme leaves (plus a few sprigs for garnish, optional)
1 1/2 tablespoons walnuts, toasted, then coarsely chopped (See cooking tip.)
1 Granny Smith apple quartered lengthwise, cored, sliced into 1/4 -inch thick wedges tossed in 2 teaspoons lemon juice
Several sage sprigs for garnish, optional
Sea salt such as fleur de sel

1. Arrange a rack in the center of the oven and preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Brush both sides of the baguette slices with olive oil and place them on a large baking sheet. Bake 4 minutes. Turn and bake on the other side until bread is golden and slightly crisp, 3 to 4 minutes more. Watch carefully. Remove from oven and cool. (Crostini can be prepared 2 hours ahead. Cover loosely with foil and keep at room temperature.) Retain oven temperature.

2. Arrange the grape clusters on a rimmed baking sheet and drizzle with 1/2 tablespoon olive oil. Toss to coat well. Transfer to 350 degree F oven. Roast, stirring once or twice, until the grapes begin to wrinkle, and are slightly browned, 15 to 18 minutes. Check after 10 minutes to make certain grapes don’t overcook. Remove and transfer to a plate, Do not wash baking sheet; when cool, just wipe it off with paper towels. (Grapes can be roasted 2 hours ahead; leave at room temperature.)

3. Raise oven temperature to 400 degrees F.

4. While oven is preheating to 400 degrees F, halve onions  lengthwise through the root ends, and remove paper skins. Cut each half into 3/8-inch thick wedges and transfer to the previously used baking sheet. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon olive oil and toss to coat, then salt and pepper them generously. (Some onions will remain in wedges while others will break up. That’s okay.) Transfer to preheated 400 degree F oven, and roast until onions are browned on the underside and softened, about 20 minutes. Turn with a metal spatula and roast until onions are starting to crisp around edges, 5 to 10 minutes more. Watch carefully as cooking time can vary, and you don’t want onions to burn. Remove to a plate. (Onions can be roasted 2 hours ahead; leave at room temperature.)

5. To serve, arrange the burratas in the center of a medium serving platter. Sprinkle with sea salt. Then sprinkle with chopped thyme and walnuts. Arrange clusters of grapes, red onions, apples slices, and toasted baguette slices around the burrata Drizzle onions and grapes with a few drops of balsamic vinegar. If desired, garnish platter with thyme and /or sage sprigs.

6. Use a table knife or spreader to smear crostini with some burrata. Use small tongs or a salad fork to add a few roasted onions. Then break off 1 or two grapes from clusters to top the crostini. Or, spread an apple wedge with burrata, and top with onion, and grapes (perfect for those who are gluten free). Serves 6 to 8.

Market tip: Although you can purchase 8-ounce burratas, I like using two 4-ounce ones. I find them easier to cut and spread. Bel Gioioso (produced in Wisconsin) is a brand that worked well in this recipe.

Cooking tip: To toast walnuts, spread them on a rimmed baking sheet and place in a preheated 350° F oven until lightly browned, 6 to 8 minutes. Watch carefully so nuts do not burn. Remove and cool.

Copyright Betty Rosbottom 2021

 

 

 

 

 

This time last year my husband and I, like countless others, were in lockdown. We hosted no dinners, certainly didn’t plan any parties, and didn’t even invite a friend or two for some holiday cheer. Most celebrations were canceled, including my book club’s annual potluck. But fast forward to 2021.  Since all the members of our reading group are fully vaccinated, we reinstated our get together. Along with loving to read, my literary pals adore to eat, so everyone arrived with delicious treats. I decided to bring an appetizer of Burrata with Roasted Grapes and Red Onions served on toasted crostini.

For this simple dish, I roast red onion wedges and small clusters of red grapes, both tossed in olive oil, until the grapes are slightly wrinkled and the onion slices softened with crisp edges.

They make perfect garnishes along with toasted crostini, to snowy white burrata sprinkled with fresh thyme and toasted walnuts. For serving, you simply spread some of the creamy cheese on a crisp crouton, top it with some roasted onions and a grape or two. Granny Smith apple wedges add extra color to the dish and are equally tempting topped with a smear of burrata and garnishes.

You can roast the grapes and onions plus toast the crostini a couple of hours ahead so that only a quick assembly is necessary at serving time. Happy holidays and safe celebrations to all in 2021.

 

Burrata with Roasted Grapes and Red Onions on Toasted Crostini

 

Crostini

1 baguette cut into 20 1/4-inch thick slices (Save extra baguette for another use.)

About 5 tablespoons olive oil

Kosher salt

 

Burrata and Garnishes

2 medium red onions (about 1 pound total)

Olive oil

Kosher salt and freshy ground black pepper

1 bunch red seedless grapes (about 12 ounces), separated into 4 to 5 small clusters

Two 4-ounce burratas (See market tip.)

1 1/2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme leaves (plus a few sprigs for garnish, optional)

1 1/2 tablespoons walnuts, toasted, then coarsely chopped (See cooking tip.)

1 Granny Smith apple quartered lengthwise, cored, sliced into 1/4 -inch thick wedges tossed in 2 teaspoons lemon juice

Several sage sprigs for garnish, optional

Sea salt such as fleur de sel

 

  1. Arrange a rack in the center of the oven and preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Brush both sides of the baguette slices with olive oil and place them on a large baking sheet. Bake 4 minutes. Turn and bake on the other side until bread is golden and slightly crisp, 3 to 4 minutes more. Watch carefully. Remove from oven and cool. (Crostini can be prepared 2 hours ahead. Cover loosely with foil and keep at room temperature.) Retain oven temperature.

 

  1. Arranged the grape clusters on a rimmed baking sheet and drizzle with 1/2 tablespoon olive oil. Toss to coat well. Transfer to 350 degree F oven. Roast, stirring once or twice, until the grapes begin to wrinkle, and are slightly browned, 15 to 18 minutes. Check after 10 minutes to make certain grapes don’t overcook. Remove and transfer to a plate, Do not wash baking sheet; when cool, just wipe it off with paper towels( Grapes can be roasted 2 hours ahead; leave at room temperature.)

 

  1. Raise oven temperature to 400 degrees F.

 

  1. While oven is preheating to 400 degrees f, cut onions in half lengthwise through the root ends. Remove paper skins. Then cut each half into 3/8-inch thick wedges and transfer to the previously used baking sheet. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon olive oil and toss to coat, then salt and pepper them generously. (Some onions will remain in wedges; others will break up. That’s okay.) Transfer to preheated 400 degree F oven, and roast until onions are browned on the underside and softened, about 20 minutes. Turn with a metal spatula and roast until onions are starting to crisp around edges, 5 to 10 minutes more. Watch carefully as cooking time can vary, and you don’t want onions to burn. Remove to a plate. (Onions can be roasted 2 hours ahead; leave at room temperature.)

 

  1. To serve, arrange the burratas in the center of a medium serving platter. Sprinkle with sea salt. Then sprinkle with chopped thyme and walnuts. Arrange clusters of grapes, red onions, apples slices, and toasted baguette slices around the burrata Drizzle onions and grapes with a few drops of balsamic vinegar. If desired, garnish platter with thyme and /or sage sprigs.

 

  1. Use a table knife or spreader to smear crostini with some burrata. Use small tongs or a salad fork to add a few roasted onions. Then break off 1 or two grapes from clusters to top the crostini. Or spread an apple wedge with burrata, and top with onion, and grapes (perfect for those who are gluten free). Serves 6 to 8.

 

Market tip: Although you can purchase 8-ounce burratas, I like using two 4-ounce ones. I find them easier to cut and spread. Bel Gioioso (produced in Wisconsin) is a brand that worked well in this recipe.

 

Cooking tip: To toast walnuts, spread them on a rimmed baking sheet and place in a preheated 350° F oven until lightly browned, 6 to 8 minutes. Watch carefully so nuts do not burn. Remove and cool.

 

Copyright Betty Rosbottom 2021

 

 

 

 

 


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