Two easy dips to please any crowd
These two dips, created for Molesini Wine Club, are great served together and pair well with wine. Serve with sliced crusty bread. Both can be prepared up to three days in advance, covered, and refrigerated.
Slow-Roasted Tomatoes with Burrata or Buffalo Mozzarella
Serves 6
Prep time: 5 minutes; bake time 1 ½ hours
4 cups (800 grams) cherry tomatoes
½ cup (125 milliliters) olive oil
1 teaspoon (5 milliliters) coarse salt
½ teaspoon (2.5 milliliters) red chile pepper flakes
2 cloves garlic, peeled and finely minced
½ tablespoon (7.5 milliliters) balsamic vinegar
2 sprigs fresh basil, minced with the top of a sprig saved for garnish
1 ball fresh burrata or buffalo mozzarella
olive oil for drizzling
Directions
Preheat oven to 325°F (163°C). Place tomatoes, olive oil, salt, and red pepper flakes in a single layer in a shallow baking dish. Place in oven and roast 1 hour. Remove from oven, sprinkle with garlic and gently toss with a wooden spoon, pushing garlic under the tomatoes and juices. Return to oven and roast an additional 30 minutes. Remove from oven and cool.
Stir in balsamic vinegar. If not using within a few hours, place tomatoes in a container, cover, and refrigerate. Bring to room temperature before serving. Before serving, fold in basil and taste for salt.
Center burrata or mozzarella on a serving platter. Arrange tomatoes and juices around the cheese, garnish with basil sprig, drizzle with olive oil. Serve with bread or crackers.
Cannellini (White Bean) Dip
Serves 6
Prep time: 10 minutes
15-ounce can (360-gram jar) cannellini beans
2 small cloves fresh garlic, peeled
1 tablespoon (15 milliliters) minced fresh rosemary
juice from 1 lemon
¼ cup (60 milliliters) olive oil, plus more to drizzle
¼ teaspoon (1.25 milliliters) salt or more to taste
Directions
Rinse beans in a colander under cold water until all foam is gone. Drain and place in a small blender. Add garlic, rosemary, and lemon juice. Pulse blender until beans begin to puree. Slowly add olive oil. If too thick, add a tablespoon of hot water. Taste for salt and lemon juice. If prepared ahead of time, check seasonings before serving. Serve in a bowl with crusty bread or crackers.
About Molesini Wine Club
This recipe was developed for Molesini Wine Club to be included in virtual tasting notes with wine shipments. Molesini Wine Club, based out of Cortona, Tuscany, features Italian wines that are otherwise unavailable outside of Europe. Marco and Paolo Molesini work closely with over 1,000 producers from across the country to ensure they are procuring the top labels from small producers making the finest boutique wines. Explore with them as they lead you through Tuscany, Piedmont, Sicily, and many lesser-known wine regions of their country. Members can customize shipments, decide on a tier that fits their palate best, and enjoy exclusive access to the most stunning wines of Italy. As a member of the Molesini Wine Club means becoming part of the Molesini family and we invite you to join us for this experience. For more information, please visit the Molesini Wine Club website.
Sally Uhlmann’s passion for cooking led her to publish a memoir-style cookbook, “Just Cook with Sally.” She splits her time between the States and her farmhouse in Cortona, Italy, when she is not traveling the world. Sally cooks, develops recipes, and writes stories—mostly about the intersection of food, travel, and her life.
