Ingredients
Conserva
2 pounds extremely ripe red tomatoes (cored, peeled and seeded)
2 cups olive oil
2 teaspoons coarse sea salt
5-6 sprigs fresh oregano
1 bunch fresh thyme
2-3 bay leaves
10-12 fresh basil leaves
Assemble
4 – 4-ounce balls burrata cheese
8 thick slices rustic Italian bread
1 garlic clove
1⁄4 cup chopped basil
Sea salt to taste
Black pepper to taste
Directions
Conserva
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place tomatoes in a large enameled baking dish. The tomatoes should come approximately 3⁄4 of the way up the dish. Sprinkle the sea salt on the tomatoes and, using your hands, crush the tomato pieces together with the salt.
2. Add the herbs and olive oil, cover and place into oven. Turn the oven down to 250 degrees and let the conserva cook slowly for 3-4 hours. To ensure even cooking, it helps to stir every hour or so.
3. Remove from the oven and discard the herbs. Conserva can be placed into jars and stored in the refrigerator for quite a long time. The finished dish is best served with the conserva still slightly warm or at room temperature.
Assemble
1. Preheat broiler. Place bread slices under broiler and toast each evenly on both sides.
2. Rub the warm toasty bread with the garlic clove. Cut each ball of burrata in half and spread each half ball on top of each piece of bread.
3. Season with sea salt and black pepper. Then, top each piece with a copious spoonful of conserva. Sprinkle on the chopped basil and drizzle with some of the olive oil from the conserva.
Monte Rosso Vineyard Gnarly Vine Zinfandel