Some additional burrata advice: Burrata is at its most nuanced and creamy when it’s been allowed to come to room temperature, or just below. If you can find them, mini balls of burrata (Liuzzi and BelGioso brands sell them) always feel like they stretch further in dishes like this. Can’t find fresh burrata? The next best thing is stracciatella, which is basically the creamy, scrappy inside of a ball of burrata, but it is sometimes even harder to find. My favorite easier swap is a high-quality fresh ricotta, storebought or homemade.
- 1 pound (455 grams) burrata
- 1 pound (455 grams) fresh cherries
- Olive oil
- 1/3 cup (40 grams) salted, shelled pistachios
- A sprig of two of fresh mint
- Flaky sea salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- Crostini for serving
Although I have a cherry pitter, I prefer the cherries here crushed or sliced open. To crush them, use the side of a knife or even the bottom of a heavy glass to press the cherry into a cutting board or plate until you can easily remove the pit. Tear the cherry in half and scatter over the burrata. Repeat with remaining cherries. Yes, this makes a mess but a delicious one: pour any accumulated cherry juices over the cherries on the burrata. To slice cherries open, run a paring knife around the cherry, cutting to the center, twist the sides apart, and fish out the pit.
Drizzle cherries and burrata with olive oil.
Either coarsely chop the pistachios or you can use the back of a heavy pan to crush them into irregular pieces. Sprinkle the pistachios over the cherries and burrata, followed by flaky sea salt, grinds of black pepper, and fresh mint. Serve with crostini and watch it vanish.
