Fresh Cherries, Burrata and Prosciutto Appetizer for Summer
Celebrate Summer flavors with this fresh cherry, burrata and prosciutto appetizer.
Combining fresh cherries, creamy burrata, and crispy prosciutto, you get the perfect sweet and salty appetizer bite.
Why you’ll love this cherry, burrata and prosciutto appetizer
- Quick: This appetizer comes together in 15 minutes!
- Easy: All of the ingredients are easy to find and in-season in the Summer.
- Seasonal: Make the best of cherries with are at peak deliciousness in the Summer season!
What is burrata cheese?
Burrata cheese is an Italian cheese. It’s a mild cheese generally made from Italian cows or buffalo milk. While it has an exterior similar to mozzarella, the best part is when you cut into it to find a creamy center. The creamy center is called stracchiatella, a combination of shreds of mozzarella and cream. It’s buttery, rich and has a slight milky taste and subtle sweetness.
Are burrata and mozzarella the same?
Burrata cheese and mozzarella cheese are both fresh cheeses from Italy but they do differ. Burrata is a creamy cheese that has a creamy center called stracchiatella. Mozzarella is a soft cheese too, however, it’s more solid throughout and can be sliced.
Ingredients needed for this recipe
- Slices of prosciutto, cooked in a pan until crispy
- One ball of burrata cheese
- Extra-virgin olive oil
- Fresh cherries
- Ground black pepper
- Fresh basil leaves
- Chopped pistachios
- Honey to drizzle
- Toasted bread for serving (like baguette or sourdough)
Does prosciutto go well with burrata?
It sure does! The salty prosciutto goes really well with the creamy burrata. In this appetizer you crispy up the prosciutto, giving it a nice crunchy texture which pairs well with the creamy burrata.
Tips & tricks to make the best burrata & prosciutto appetizer
- Don’t forget to pit the cherries! Pitted cherries are a must to keep this dish enjoyable to eat.
- If you’re making this recipe for entertaining guests, you can toast the bread and pit the cherries ahead of time. Store the pitted cherries in the refrigerator and the toasted bread on the counter. Once the bread is cooled, store at room temperature in an airtight container until ready to serve.
- You can use a serving platter or a low bowl to make this recipe in or even a plate! Use whatever you have.
- Get the prosciutto crispy! To make the flavors of this appetizer really pop, make sure to get the prosciutto very crispy which adds great texture and crunch.
- A great substitute for fresh basil leaves is fresh mint.
- Don’t skip the honey drizzle or ground pepper! Each element adds a necessary flavor to this appetizer recipe.
Variations and substitutions
Bring the burrata to room temperature: Take the burrata out of the fridge for 15-20 minutes below assembling this appetizer. Cold burrata cheese does not taste as good and the flavor can be muted.
Toast the bread: My go-to vehicle for most dipping appetizers is toasted baguette (also known as crostini). However, you can use a bread of your choosing, just make sure to toast it so that it’s stable when dipping into the burrata.
Don’t skip the prosciutto: The cooked, salty prosciutto adds a crispy and salty element to this appetizer, imperative to the overall flavors. Make sure to crunch up the crispy prosciutto into smaller pieces that are bite-sized before garnishing the burrata.
Peaches: If you can’t find fresh cherries, fresh sliced peaches or nectarines would be a delicious substitute.
Make this into a salad for a light dinner: Make this into a salad by adding a few handfuls of fresh arugula on the base of your serving dish first and then follow the rest of the recipe as-is. Serve this alongside a piece of grilled chicken or salmon.
Use fresh figs: In the late-Summer or early-Fall, swap out the cherries for in season figs.
Balsamic glaze: Switch up the flavor profile by swapping out the honey for a drizzle of balsamic glaze instead.
How can I pit cherries without a pitter?
There are a few methods you can try to pit the cherries without a pitter:
1. Use a small knife: Run the knife around the circumference of the cherry (just like you would if pitting a peach or avocado). Then, use your hands to twist the halves and separate from the pit. If the pit is still in once half of the cherry, use your fingers to gently press or pull the pit out.
2. Use a metal straw: Hold a cherry with your thumb and forefinger and press through the stem side of the cherry with the straw; it should pop the middle / pit of the cherry out. You can also place the cherry on the opening of a bottle and push the straw down into the centre of the cherry to press the pit down and out into the bottle.
FAQs
Many local grocery stores sell burrata. If you cannot find burrata, the closest substitute is fresh mozzarella cheese. Generally you can find fresh mozzarella balls packed in water or whey. Fresh mozzarella has the closest flavour in any substitute for burrata. However, please note mozzarella will not have the same creamy texture as burrata. If using fresh mozzarella instead of burrata I recommend adding a sprinkle of salt on the cheese before serving to enhance the flavour.
Keep burrata stored in the liquid it comes in, in the fridge, until ready to use. If you remember, take the burrata out 30-60 minutes before serving this appetizer. Burrata is best enjoyed at room temperature.
Yes! All of the burrata cheese including the skin that surrounds the creamy center is edible.
More burrata appetizer recipes to love from the blog
- Quick Strawberry Burrata Appetizer with Crostini
- Burrata Bread Appetizer with Roasted Tomatoes
- Easy Pizza-Inspired Olive Oil Dip with Burrata Cheese
Fresh Cherries, Burrata and Prosciutto Appetizer for Summer
Ingredients
- 2 slices of prosciutto
- 8 oz (250 grams) ball burrata cheese
- 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- 3/4 cup pitted and halved fresh cherries
- 2-3 pinches ground black pepper and kosher salt
- 2-3 tbsp chopped pistachios
- 2 tbsp honey to drizzle
- fresh basil leaves
- for serving: toasted bread of choice (like baguette or sourdough)
Instructions
- Crisp up the prosciutto: Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. When the skillet is hot, turn to medium heat and add the slices of prosciutto. Cook for a few minutes until the prosciutto starts to get crispy and browned. Flip and cook for another 1-2 minutes until very crispy. Set aside on a paper towel lined plate to cool.
- Tear the burrata up with your hands into chunks and place on a platter or in a low bowl.
- Drizzle the burrata with the olive oil and add a few pinches of salt and pepper all over the burrata. Scatter the halved cherries, chopped pistachios and crumble the crispy prosciutto all over the burrata. Drizzle the honey all over and then garnish with fresh basil leaves. Serve with toasted bread of choice.
Optional: make crostini for serving
- Optional: Make crostini for serving: To a baking sheet add slices of baguette. Brush the bread slices with olive oil on one side and place in a single layer on a large baking sheet. Bake for 5-7 minutes, then flip and bake for another 5-7 minutes until toasted. Set aside to cool.
