Burrata with Green Lentils and Pesto
Need a good side dish for your Father’s Day meal? Here’s one!
Burrata with Green Lentils and Pesto
Call it a pregnancy craving if you’d like because it seems that I can’t get enough burrata these days. But honestly, isn’t that just the case for most people whether or not they are with child??
This dish combines luxury with wholesome by pairing decadent, lush mozzarella on the outside, creamy ricotta center cheese with hearty lentils.
Then, it is tossed with one of my favorite summer sauces- basil pesto.
Perfect for Father’s Day, especially if your dining outdoors, or grilling up some of your favorites on the barbecue. This plays really nicely with that kind of meal.
Burrata with Green Lentils and Pesto
Ingredients:
Lentils
1 1/2 cups dried small green lentils
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 small medium onion, diced
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Pesto Sauce: Recipe here.
Assembly
2 large balls of burrata, at room temperature
Sea salt and more black pepper
A few small basil leaves for garnish
Instructions:
Cook lentils: Pick over and rinse lentils. Place them in a medium saucepan and cover with 3 inches of cold water, seasoned well with salt. Simmer the lentils over medium heat for 25 to 30 minutes, until firm-tender. Drain and set aside.
Meanwhile, make pesto.
In a large frying pan, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium heat. Add onion, salt and pepper and cooking, stirring frequently, about 7 minutes. Add cooked lentils back to pan and stir to mix and re-warm; you can add a splash of water if they’re sticking. Adjust seasonings to taste.
Transfer lentil-vegetable mixture to a large, wide serving bowl and stir in 2/3 of pesto. Place intact burratas on top and then cut into quarters with a sharp knife so you don’t miss any of the wonderful stuff that spills out. The warmth of the lentils will melt it further. Drizzle with a little extra pesto, a few pinches of sea salt and a couple extra grinds of black pepper. Scatter basil leaves over and dig in.