Roasted Pepper Crostini with Garlic Confit, Burrata, and Basil
Soft roasted peppers, sweet confit garlic, creamy burrata, and lightly charred bread. This is a flavor combination that just works. It isn’t avant-garde, it isn’t pretentious, it’s just delicious. I like to make these crostini as an appetizer or a snack to start a dinner party. You can either pre-assemble the crostinis or just set out the bread, burrata, and pepper condiment so your guests can make their own.
The pepper condiment used in this recipe is quite versatile and will keep for 4 or 5 days in the refrigerator. I suggest making a double batch as you can easily use it throughout the week in different applications. Folded into pasta, on fried eggs for breakfast, straight onto some crackers…all great options. This recipe can be made with any crusty bread you have on hand and the burrata can easily be replaced with ricotta that has been seasoned with a little olive oil, salt, and pepper.
Roasted peppers
The peppers can be roasted on a gas stove, a very hot grill, or under the broiler in your oven. The trick is to apply intense, direct heat so that the pepper skins start to burn and char. I like to cook the peppers directly over the flame on my gas stove. As the peppers char, rotate them until the peppers are completely covered in a layer of charred skin. Be careful not to leave the peppers on the flame too long as you could start to burn into the flesh. If your burner allows it and it is safe to do so, you can also remove the cap of your burner and use the resulting jet of flame to roast the pepper. This makes it a little easier to evenly roast each pepper as the flame will be centered and surround the pepper as it cooks. You may need to use a lighter to ignite the gas as the electric starter will not work. The peppers can also be charred over a very hot grill or directly under a hot broiler.
When each pepper is finished charring on all sides, immediately place it into a heat-safe container and cover it tightly with foil. Once all of the peppers are in the container, keep them covered tightly for at least 15 minutes. The steam that builds up in the container will continue to cook and soften the peppers as well as loosen up the skins. After 15 minutes, open up the container and use a kitchen towel or some paper towels to rub off the charred skins. Don’t worry if some specks of charred skin are left behind, this will give a bit of flavor and character to the peppers. Do not be tempted to wash the peppers under running water, you would just be washing away that pleasant smokey flavor. The peppers are now ready to be seeded and cut.
Grilling some bread? Add these to your spread:
- Brandade of Salt Cod, Potato, and Garlic
- Steamed Littleneck Clams with Chorizo, Garlic, and White Wine
Roasted Pepper Crostini with Garlic Confit, Burrata, and Basil
Ingredients
Pepper and garlic condiment:
- 1 head garlic (reserve one clove for rubbing the grilled bread)
- 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil, plus additional for cooking the bread
- 3 bell peppers (red, yellow, orange, or a combination)
- 1 shallot
- salt
- 1.5 Tbsp sherry vinegar or red wine vinegar
To Serve:
- 4-8 oz fresh burrata
- 2-4 thick slices rustic bread such as sourdough (about 3/4 inches thick)
- 6-7 basil leaves, save the stems to cook with the peppers
Instructions
Pepper and Garlic Condiment
- Peel all the garlic cloves. Reserve one clove for rubbing onto the grilled bread, and cut the rst of the cloves into 1/4 inch thick slices. You should yield about 1/3 to 1/2 cup sliced garlic.
- Place the sliced garlic into a small pot with 1/2 cup of olive oil. Bring up the temperature over low heat until garlic starts to bubble gently. Cook at low heat for about 25 minutes or until the garlic has softened and is getting very light golden in color. Do not let the garlic get too dark. Use the weakest burner on your range if necessary to maintain the garlic at a gentle bubble without getting too hot.
- While the garlic is gently simmering. Roast the peppers. if the garlic is soft and golden brown before you are finished with the peppers, turn off the heat to the garlic.
- To roast the peppers, place each pepper directly over a burner on your stove and turn the heat to high. Cook the peppers directly over the flames so that the skins burn and char. Turn the peppers as they cook until they are completely covered in burnt, charred skin. Don't let the peppers cook for too long after the skin has burnt or you may burn into the flesh. This will not work on an electric stove, you can alternatively use a very hot grill or place the peppers very close to the broiler in your oven.
- When each pepper is finished charring on all sides, immediately place it into a heat-safe container and cover it tightly with foil. Once all of the peppers are in the container, keep them covered tightly for at least 15 minutes.
- After 15 minutes, open up the container and use a kitchen towel or some paper towels to rub off the charred skins. Don't worry if some specks of charred skin are left behind, this will give a bit of flavor and character to the peppers. Do not be tempted to wash the peppers under running water, you would just be washing away that pleasant smokey flavor.
- Remove the seeds and stem from each pepper and cut the pepper into roughly 1.5-inch sections. Slice these sections into 1/8 inch strips.
- Thinly slice one shallot.
- When the garlic is finished cooking, add the sliced shallot and sliced peppers to the pot with the cooked garlic along with 2 Tsp, kosher salt, and the reserved basil stems.
- Simmer everything together over medium-low heat for about 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Discard the basil stems and add the 1.5 Tbsp vinegar to the pot. Turn off the heat and allow the condiment to cool to room temperature. Adjust seasoning with additional salt and vinegar if desired.
To serve
- Break up the burrata in a bowl with a spoon.
- Season the burrata with a splash of olive oil, salt and pepper to taste. Set aside.
- Brush the slices of bread with olive oil and cook on a hot grill or a hot cast iron pan until lightly charred on both sides.
- Rub the grilled bread with the reserved raw clove of garlic so that it gently "grates" a little garlic into the bread. Cut the bread into whatever size or shape crostini you desire.
- Top the bread with the seasoned burrata, pepper condiment, and torn or chiffonade basil leaves.
