Yesss!!! I have officially posted my first recipe on Olives and Lamb!
In spirit of the summer, I decided to post this Grilled Peach, Prosciutto, Burrata, and Basil Crostini recipe! Crostini are amazing for summer gatherings because they are easy finger foods and loaded with fresh ingredients. Peaches are at their peak and develop a depth of flavor when grilled. Not to mention, the grill marks also add a nice visual contrast when everything is assembled together. Mixing sweet and savory ingredients together is probably my favorite flavor combination. With that said, I had to add in the prosciutto to give the dish a savory touch. I dare you to name a more iconic duo than prosciutto and fruit in the summertime.
The Elements of the Crostini
We have the crunch factor and chew from the crostini itself, the mellow creaminess of the burrata, the saltiness from the prosciutto, the juicy sweetness from the peaches, and the fresh herbaceous aroma from the basil. Oh, and I didn’t stop there. I also added in 4 different sauces that you could drizzle atop the crostini. The sauces are super simple to make — some of them you can just buy from the store — and each add a different element and style to the crostini.
The Sauces
First up, we have the basil oil. The basil oil adds a beautiful and vibrant green contrast, another element of herbaceousness, and takes the crostini up a notch on the elegance scale. When the oil seeps in to the toasted bread *ugh* it’s just amazing. I got my recipe for the basil oil from here: https://www.finecooking.com/recipe/basil-oil.
Second, we have a reduced balsamic glaze, which adds a sharp, tangy sweetness to the crostini. The reduction, like the grill marks on the peaches, adds a beautiful visual contrast
Third, we have the honey, which also adds an element of sweetness, though softer compared to the balsamic glaze. The honey has a way of rounding out all the flavors and is my personal favorite.
Lastly, we have pesto. The pesto adds another savory element to the crostini if you’re looking for something saltier. Let’s be real — you can never go wrong with pesto.
Enjoy!!!
Don’t be scared to play around with the sauces! Try each one out — maybe even combine some (my mom loves drizzling the balsamic reduction and honey together) — and let me know which ones you like the best. This crostini recipe screams summer, and I hope you all enjoy it as much as my family and I did, and I’ll catch you in my next post!
Grilled Peach, Prosciutto, Burrata, Basil Crostini with 4 Sauces for Drizzling
Ingredients
Grilled Peach, Prosciutto, Burrata, Basil Crostini
- 4-5 whole Peaches (I was able to get about 10 slices from each peach)
- 4 + 1 1/2 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil (separated)
- 3/4 + 1/2 tsp Kosher Salt (separated)
- As Needed Neutral Oil (I.e: Vegetable Oil to coat the grill)
- 1 loaf Artisan Tuscan Loaf (I was able to get 12 slices – *see notes*)
- 12 oz Burrata Cheese
- 2.5 oz Prosciutto
- 1.5 oz Basil (I like to use the smaller leaves that are attached to the buds for garnishing)
Basil Oil *Recipe From Fine Cooking*
- 1 cup Basil tightly packed
- As Needed Ice
- 1/2 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 1/4 tsp Kosher Salt
Reduced Balsamic Vinegar
- 3/4 cup Balsamic Vinegar
Honey
- 1/3 cup Honey (store-bought)
Pesto
- 1/2 cup Pesto (store-bought)
Instructions
For the Crostini
- Preheat your oven to 400ºF and your grill.
- Slice the peaches into segments or wedges and toss with the 1 1/2 tbsp of olive oil and the 1/2 tsp of kosher salt. Once your grill has heated, place the peaches onto the grill. Leave the peach slices on the grill until they have developed grill marks on both sides (about 2 minutes per side). Remove the peach slices from the grill and set aside.
- Slice the bread on a bias 1/2 an inch thick. Spread the slices in one layer onto a sheet pan. Drizzle the remaining 4 tbsp of olive oil onto both sides of the bread slices along with the remaining 3/4 tsp of kosher salt. Once your oven has preheated, place the sheet pan into the oven for 5 minutes until the bread has toasted. You want the bread to have a crusty toasted exterior (it may not necessarily develop a golden brown color), and if you lightly push down on the center of the crostini it should still have a little give in the interior. Remove the crostini from the oven when ready and set aside to cool.
- To assemble the crostini, divide the burrata among the crostini, spreading it over the surface of the toasts. Layer 2-3 (depending on the size of your crostini's surface) grilled peach slices on top of the burrata. Take a slice of prosciutto and tear it into large pieces (I was able to divide 1 slice of prosciutto between 2 crostini). Arrange the prosciutto around the peach slices. Garnish the crostini with the smaller basil leaves on top. Lastly, lightly drizzle your choice of sauce atop the crostini and enjoy!
For the Basil Oil
- Bring a pot of water to boil. Fill a bowl with ice and water and set aside. Once the water has boiled, add in your basil leaves for 15 seconds. Remove the basil from the boiling water and place it into the bowl of ice water.
- Once the basil has chilled, remove it from the ice water and squeeze out the excess water. Place the basil into a blender or a small bullet blender. Add in the olive oil and kosher salt and blend until the basil has been finely pureed.
- Allow the mixture to sit for 10 minutes. With a bowl underneath, pour the basil oil into a fine mesh sieve lined with cheese cloth or a paper towel. Use a rubber spatula to press the mixture through the liner and sieve. When most of the oil has been pressed out, take the cheese cloth or paper towel out of the sieve. Bundle the cloth together and then squeeze out any of leftover oil.
For the Reduced Balsamic Vinegar
- Place the balsamic vinegar into a small sauce pot.
- Bring the vinegar to a boil over medium-high heat.
- Once the vinegar had boiled, reduce the heat to low so that the vinegar is simmering or lightly bubbling.
- Allow the vinegar to simmer for 15-20 minutes. Use a rubber spatula to gently stir the vinegar every 5 minutes. Pay close attention to the vinegar when it reaches the final minutes, as it can burn very quickly.
- To know when the vinegar has reduced enough, dip a metal spoon into the vinegar. Blow on the spoon until the vinegar has cooled slightly. The vinegar should be tacky and viscous enough to coat the spoon. You should be able to run a finger through the vinegar and have it maintain its form. Transfer the vinegar into a bowl and set aside to cool.
[…] that, I’ll be making all the good fresh peach stuff, like this roasted corn and peach salad, this peach bruschetta and maybe even this peach […]