Roasted Tomatoes Serrano Ham and Burrata Pesto Sandwich

I rarely make sandwiches nowadays, especially European style sandwiches, but when I do, I fancied it up with really good quality ingredients. Let me tell you, it ain't cheap for sure, but quite delicious and worth the effort once a while. Like a biannual thing.

Roasted tomatoes Serrano ham and burrata pesto sandwich - 

Ingredients (for two)?

• 1 big hearty bread (baguette or other rustic European bread)
• Few slices Serrano ham
• Small handful arugula
• 1 ball burrata cheese
• 1 tablespoon pesto sauce
• Some balsamic vinegar or balsamic glaze
• 1 tablespoon olive oil

Roasted tomatoes:

• 1 box/roughly two loosely packed cups cherry tomatoes
• 1 big spring rosemary
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1 teaspoon salt
• Some extra virgin olive oil

How?

Use a baking dish and transfer the tomatoes over. Peel and insert two garlic cloves. Sprinkle about 1 teaspoon of salt throughout. Place 1 big spring of rosemary on top and drizzle some extra virgin olive oil all over.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit / 200 degrees Celsius. Once ready, slide in the baking dish and let the tomatoes roast for 25 minutes. Once ready, remove and set aside.

Halve the bread lengthwise. Drizzle 1 tablespoon of olive oil to the pan and let the oil spread onto the surface evenly. Switch to medium heat and wait till the surface gets hot.

Transfer the bread cut side down to the pan and sear till golden. Remove and set aside ready for assembling other ingredients on top.

If you don't have balsamic glaze, simply use a pot and pour in some balsamic vinegar instead. Use medium heat and start reducing the vinegar till it thickens a bit. Remove from the stovetop earlier because the vinegar will continue to coagulate even away from heat for a little longer.

Take the bottom part of the bread, spread some pesto sauce all over. Top that with arugula. Then a fancy drained ball of burrata. Remember to break the cheese and smear the silky part throughout. 

Arrange Serrano ham on top of the cheese. Then carefully picked out some of the roasted tomatoes and place on top. Drizzle some balsamic glaze for a final touch.

Close with top half of the bread and perhaps give it a gentle squeeze with downward force. You'll see the cheese and the juice of tomatoes start to flow out a bit, a pretty sight to look at.

Now slice the entire bread in half crosswise, big enough to feed two people at once.  

Extended reading:

• Food I love and miss back from high school years - sloppy joes