Slowly roasting your summer cherry tomatoes in olive oil is a great way to preserve summer at its peak! Of course I usually go through tomato confit (or confit tomatoes) right after I make them! In addition to spreading them over pizza I also recommend using them as a pomodoro sauce for spaghetti, over eggs or in an omelette, on sandwiches or stirred into risotto when paired with roasted chicken.
Confit Tomato Pizza with Burrata
Table of contents
- Confit Tomato Pizza with Burrata
- What’s so great about tomato confit?
- All about burrata
- FAQ – Frequently Asked Questions
What’s so great about tomato confit?
As the tomatoes slowly simmer in the sauce, they break down and flavor the oil as well. While I like making these confit tomatoes on the stovetop in a pan, it can just as easily be made in the oven. Simply add all ingredients to a large baking dish and bake at 325ºF until the tomatoes are burst and bubbling, about 40 minutes. Some people blanch the tomatoes first to remove the skins, but I like the texture they add (plus it’s easier!).
All about burrata
Burrata, a soft cow’s milk cheese from Italy, is essentially mozzarella filled with a creamy interior. It has become very popular in recent years for its rich, clean flavor. I add the burrata after the pizza comes out of the oven so it just barely melts into the pizza.
The cheese makes for a wonderful contrast of the room temperature cheese on top of the warm pizza topped with confit tomatoes. Burrata is best served as fresh as possible so be sure to check the date on the container and try to consume it within about 48 hours of purchasing it.
FAQ – Frequently Asked Questions
What does confit mean?
The method of cooking something “confit” typically means cooking in it’s own fat (think duck confit) – in this instance the tomatoes are slowly cooked in olive oil until they burst and become even more flavorful.
What does julienned mean?
When I say to julienne the basil leaves it is a way of stacking basil leaves on top of each other, rolling them up and then thinly slicing them into strips. This is a great way to slice garnishes.
Why should I par-bake the pizza dough?
This method is great when cooking pizza, using lower heat methods like an oven. It’s not going to get as hot as a grill or pizza oven so partly baking the crust before adding the toppings makes for a crisp base crust. This way it doesn’t get soggy – you want some structural integrity with each slice.
What’s the best way to reheat pizza?
With thin crust pizza like this, the bottom crust is important. I like to reheat my pizza first in a cast iron pan or skillet over medium-low heat until the crust is crisp then broil in the oven on high until the cheese is bubbling and hot.
Is this pizza seasonal?
This flavorful pizza is best made with tomatoes preserved at the height of summer but can be made year round.
Confit Tomato Pizza with Burrata
US Customary – Metric
Ingredients:
For the tomato confit:
- 1 pound cherry tomatoes
- 10 cloves garlic
- 1 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- ¼ cup packed basil leaves
- Kosher salt, as needed
For assembly:
- 1 pound prepared pizza dough, homemade or store-bought
- 8 ounces burrata divided
- ¼ cup packed basil leaves, julienned, divided
Instructions:
For the tomato confit:
In a medium saucepan over medium heat add the cherry tomatoes and garlic. Pour the olive oil over the top, making sure there is enough to completely cover the tomatoes and stir to combine.
Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer over medium-low and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the tomatoes are tender and start to fall apart, about 30 minutes.
Add the basil and continue to cook until the tomatoes look roasted and most of the juice has evaporated, about an additional 15 minutes. Remove the pot from the heat and let cool. Season to taste with salt.
For assembly:
Add the pizza doubt to a large bowl and cover in plastic wrap. Let the pizza dough rise in a warm place until doubled in size if needed.
Preheat oven to 500ºF (260ºC) with pizza stone set on a middle rack.
Once the dough has risen, punch it down and turn it out onto a lightly floured surface. Divide the dough into two equal sections. Press out the first into an even 10” circle and place on a sheet of parchment paper.
Spread 2 tablespoons of the oil from the confit tomatoes evenly over the dough. Use a pizza peel to slide the pizza into the oven. Par-bake the crust until pale golden, about 6 minutes.
Use a slotted spoon to strain about ½ cup of the confit tomatoes and garlic from the oil and spread over the pizza, leaving about 1” of crust around the edges.
Continue to bake until the edges are crispy and golden brown, about an additional 6 minutes.
Tear half the burrata into pieces and add it over the top of the pizza and garnish with half the basil. Repeat with the remaining pizza dough and ingredients.
Cut into equal pieces and serve immediately.
DID YOU MAKE THIS?
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