Main course Italian-inspired
Creamy burrata with roasted plums, pistachios and thyme
Warm thyme-roasted plums with creamy burrata and crunchy pistachios. The fruit juices and olive oil make a simple sauce to mop up with focaccia or baguette.
Ingredients
4 servings · metric units
For a larger batch, use a wider dish or several dishes so the plums sit in a single layer. Roasting time does not increase in proportion to the number of servings.
You’ll need
Oven · Small ovenproof dish · Knife and chopping board · Spoon · Serving plate
Method
0/5 stepsPrepare the ingredients
Preheat the oven to 200°C conventional. Take the burrata out of the fridge while you prepare and roast the plums. Wash the plums, halve them and remove the stones. Reserve a small thyme sprig for finishing.
Prepare the ingredients Season the plums
Arrange the plum halves skin-side down in a single layer in the ovenproof dish. Drizzle with half the olive oil and reserve the other half for serving. If using honey, drizzle the fruit with 1 tbsp of honey. Season with the salt and a little pepper, then tuck the thyme intended for roasting between the plums.
Season the plums Roast the plums
Roast for 15–20 minutes until the plums are tender but still hold their shape, have released their juices and are lightly browned at the edges. Check after 15 minutes: the flesh should yield easily to a spoon. If you prefer oven-warmed burrata, place the drained cheese among the almost-cooked plums for the final 3–4 minutes. Warm it just until soft, without browning.
15:00Roast the plums Plate the burrata and plums
Remove the dish from the oven and discard the woody thyme stems. If the burrata was not warmed in the oven, drain it and place it in the centre of the serving plate. Arrange the hot plums around it. For the warmed version, carefully transfer the cheese to the plate and surround it with the plums. Spoon the roasting juices over the fruit and cheese.
Plate the burrata and plums Finish and serve
Scatter 2–3 tbsp of chopped pistachios over the burrata and plums. Drizzle with the remaining reserved olive oil, add a little pepper and finish with the reserved fresh thyme sprig. Serve immediately while the plums are still warm, with focaccia or baguette if liked, to mop up the creamy cheese and sauce.
Finish and serve
Tips
- Choose similarly sized plums so they roast evenly. Very soft fruit may collapse before the edges brown.
- Use a dish that holds the plums fairly snugly without overlapping. In a very large dish, the juices may evaporate quickly and scorch.
- Leave out the honey if the plums are sweet. The roasting juices should be fruity and lightly syrupy, not thick like caramel.
- Adding burrata directly to the plate best preserves its delicate skin and creamy centre. For the baked version, only warm it through; do not wait for the cheese to brown.
Storage
Best served immediately. Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container within 2 hours; keep at 4°C or below and eat within 24 hours, or sooner if the burrata packaging advises. If preparing the plums ahead, roast them, cool and refrigerate separately within 2 hours. Keep for up to 2 days and gently reheat before adding fresh burrata. Do not freeze the assembled dish, as the cheese will lose its creamy texture.
Timing
Hands-on: 15 min · Cooking: 20 min