Heirloom Tomato Salad with Torn Burrata, Tapenade, and Pine Nuts | Recipe

The less you do to cook or manipulate ingredients, the more critical it becomes to use them when they are at their peak of flavour, so make this salad only with vine-ripened tomatoes. At no other time will they achieve the mystical union of sweetness and acid that makes them irresistible. Roughly torn burrata with a nice soft chew in parts and overall luscious creaminess plays off the robust flavour of the tapenade, the crunch of pine nuts and breadcrumbs, and the full, rich flavour of the tomatoes.

Ingredients

For the tapenade

• 1 cup (155g) pitted kalamata olives, chopped
• 2 tablespoons capers, rinsed, dried, and chopped
• 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 1½ teaspoons chopped fresh thyme leaves
• ½ cup (118ml) extra-virgin olive oil
• freshly ground black pepper

For the salad

• 6 ripe heirloom tomatoes, one kind or a variety
• 1¼ pounds (600g) burrata cheese, at room temperature
• crunchy breadcrumbs 
• ¼ cup pine nuts, toasted
• extra-virgin olive oil

Notes: Chopping the olives by hand for the tapenade makes for a coarse and interesting texture. Extra tapenade can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.

Serves: 6

Method

First, make the tapenade. Combine the olives, capers, lemon zest, lemon juice, and thyme in a small bowl. Gradually whisk in the olive oil and season to taste with pepper.

To make the salad, slice the tomatoes into thick rounds and arrange them on a serving platter. Spoon about ¼ cup of the tapenade over the tomatoes. With two hands, tear the burrata apart over the centre of the platter and set the pieces down, torn side up. Sprinkle with the breadcrumbs and pine nuts, drizzle with olive oil, and serve.