Long before the Gjelina cookbook was written, I read an article in Food & Wine magazine where Chef Travis Lett shared a few recipes from the restaurant. I immediately ripped the pages out and tried to recreate some of the dishes I’d remembered eating there. One of my favorites was the “Grilled Apricot, Burrata and Country Ham Salad.”
After making it a few times over the past several years, I thought it would be fun to turn it into an appetizer instead. In the recipe, Lett says to freely swap out seasonal fruits, so I used peaches since they are lovely this time of year. The original recipe also involves grilling the fruit, which is fantastic but obviously more work. If the grill is hot, by all means grill away — but honestly, they’re perfectly delicious when served fresh and ripe. Besides, isn’t summer all about keeping it simple?
- 1 baguette
- extra virgin olive oil
- salt + pepper
- 2 balls of burrata (approx 8oz)
- 1 package of prosciutto di Parma
- 1 large, ripe, but slightly firm peach, thinly sliced (*can be grilled for more flavor)
- 1 cup of thinly sliced radicchio
- 1 cup of arugula
- 1/2 lemon
- balsamic reduction (I use Napa Valley Naturals Grand Reserva Balsamic)
- Thinly slice baguette (1/2" thick or less) and place on baking tray. Drizzle with olive oil and top with salt and pepper. Broil for about 2 minutes or until golden brown, then flip over and repeat. Remove from oven and let cool.
- Combine radicchio and arugula in a small bowl. Squeeze half a lemon on top of the salad, drizzle with olive oil (approx 1 TBL), stir then season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Cover each piece of baguette with a layer of burrata, a small piece of prosciutto, one or two slices of peach, and a pinch of salad. Once all toasts are dressed, drizzle the balsamic reduction over the top. Finish with a final sprinkle of salt and pepper.
- This recipe can easily be halved to accommodate fewer people.
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