Charred Cherry Tomatoes with Bell Peppers and Mozzarella
By Amanda LuchtelPublished on June 21, 2022
Time
45 minutes, plus 30 minutes cooling
Yield
Serves 4
Ingredients
Before You Begin
One pint of cherry tomatoes weighs about 12 ounces. Serve with warmed or grilled crusty bread.
Instructions
- Mince garlic with ¼ teaspoon salt to form smooth paste. Transfer to large bowl. Add 2 tablespoons oil, vinegar, anchovies, thyme, lemon juice, pepper flakes, paprika, and ½ teaspoon salt. Whisk to combine.
- Heat 12-inch cast-iron skillet over medium heat for 10 minutes. Toss tomatoes with 2 teaspoons oil and ½ teaspoon salt in medium bowl. Add tomatoes to skillet and cook until lightly charred on 1 side, about 4 minutes. Stir and continue to cook 2 minutes longer. (Some tomatoes will start to burst.)
- Meanwhile, toss bell pepper with remaining 2 teaspoons oil and remaining ½ teaspoon salt.
- Transfer tomatoes to vinegar mixture. Add bell pepper to now-empty skillet set over medium heat. Cook until spotty brown on 1 side, about 4 minutes. Stir and continue to cook 2 minutes longer. Transfer bell pepper to tomato mixture and toss gently to combine. Let sit for at least 30 minutes or up to 2 hours to allow flavors to meld.
- Gently toss mozzarella and basil with tomato mixture until combined. Season with salt and pepper flakes to taste. Transfer to platter. Serve drizzled with oil.
Time
45 minutes, plus 30 minutes coolingYield
Serves 4Ingredients
Test Kitchen Techniques
Ingredients
Test Kitchen Techniques
Ingredients
Test Kitchen Techniques
Why This Recipe Works
This recipe was inspired by one in acclaimed British chef April Bloomfield's cookbook, A Girl and Her Pig (2012). Compared to her recipe, which calls for roasting whole peppers and slow-roasting whole tomatoes before peeling them, ours shortens the cooking time and maximizes flavor. To reach that goal, we have four key steps: using smaller cherry tomatoes and thinly sliced bell peppers for quicker cooking, preheating a cast-iron skillet to get an even and fast char on the outside of the tomatoes without overcooking, cooking the tomatoes and peppers in batches to prevent overcrowding and steaming, and allowing the tomatoes to cook on one side without stirring to maximize charring on each side. To enhance the smokiness of the tomatoes and bell peppers, we added smoked paprika to an assertive dressing of garlic, red wine vinegar, anchovies, thyme, lemon juice, and pepper flakes. After marinating the vegetables in the dressing, we tossed in torn pieces of creamy fresh mozzarella (the jagged edges hold more dressing) and some torn fresh basil leaves.
Before You Begin
One pint of cherry tomatoes weighs about 12 ounces. Serve with warmed or grilled crusty bread.
Instructions
- Mince garlic with ¼ teaspoon salt to form smooth paste. Transfer to large bowl. Add 2 tablespoons oil, vinegar, anchovies, thyme, lemon juice, pepper flakes, paprika, and ½ teaspoon salt. Whisk to combine.
- Heat 12-inch cast-iron skillet over medium heat for 10 minutes. Toss tomatoes with 2 teaspoons oil and ½ teaspoon salt in medium bowl. Add tomatoes to skillet and cook until lightly charred on 1 side, about 4 minutes. Stir and continue to cook 2 minutes longer. (Some tomatoes will start to burst.)
- Meanwhile, toss bell pepper with remaining 2 teaspoons oil and remaining ½ teaspoon salt.
- Transfer tomatoes to vinegar mixture. Add bell pepper to now-empty skillet set over medium heat. Cook until spotty brown on 1 side, about 4 minutes. Stir and continue to cook 2 minutes longer. Transfer bell pepper to tomato mixture and toss gently to combine. Let sit for at least 30 minutes or up to 2 hours to allow flavors to meld.
- Gently toss mozzarella and basil with tomato mixture until combined. Season with salt and pepper flakes to taste. Transfer to platter. Serve drizzled with oil.
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