Pizza carrots
Roasted carrots, burrata, and an oh-so-delicious flavored oil
Hello! Welcome back! Skip all the rambling and scroll right to the bottom of this post for a printer-friendly PDF of the recipe only.
Today’s recipe is a shareable delight that I’ve had floating around in my head for quite some time. It’s a fancy veggie plate, one that you can plop down on the table and expect to elicit oooohs and ahhhhs. And ohhhh my god, I can’t wait for you to make it.
It’s a dish I’m calling pizza carrots, and at its core it takes the same form as most of my other much-loved veggie dishes: something simple, elevated with some stellar extras. In this case, that something simple is roasted carrots and those stellar extras are a quick-to-make warm flavored oil that’s spiked with delicious toppings and a ball (or two — sometimes we need two) of burrata.
Tell me more
A few summers ago — five, to be exact — I was on the East Coast for a whirlwind two-week work trip that involved day-long meetings in New York City followed by boozy dinners and parties, and even a weekend in the Hamptons. Ah, to be young and working for an advertising agency that specializes in wine and liquor. Anyways, one of these boozy dinners took place at Dante, a West Village bar and restaurant that had then just been named one of the world’s best bars.
The drinks were obviously incredible, but the food!! All types of deliciousness. I can’t tell you everything we ordered but I do remember we ordered a side of their carrots, probably as an afterthought, but a supporting role they were not. They blew my socks off, and left a permanent impression. Mainly because they seemed so simple, but somehow tasted like… pizza. I wrote “pizza carrots à la Dante” in the note I kept on my phone for recipe ideas for my then-not-yet-launched Instagram account.
I truly don’t remember every detail of those carrots, and at a restaurant that changes their menu so seasonally there’s no way to know what was in them. But the thought stuck with me, and recently I started experimenting with how to bring those flavors to a plate. I’m sooo happy with the results, and I hope you will be too.
Before we start
First and foremost, these carrots are not meant to be a substitute for pizza. I hope you know me better than that by now (very much an if you want the pizza, have the pizza type of gal). I don’t want anyone coming at me saying they’re good but they’re not pizza. Like, I know!! But they do bring those same aromatic, savory elements to something new.
This is one of those dishes that could be an appetizer, could be dinner if paired with a salad, could be lunch for one — could be whatever you want it to be. But, I think it’s just perfect for an aperitivo. Chill a bottle of fruity, fizzy Lambrusco, pick up a loaf of crusty bread for piling the topping onto and dragging through the extra oil, call up your favorite friends, and prepare for heaven on your palate.
The recipe
Serves: 4 as an appetizer
Cook time: 20-25 minutes
For the carrots:
1/2 lb carrots, cleaned and cut in half lengthwise
1 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp garlic powder
salt pepper
3 tbsp olive oil
Toss carrots with the rest of the ingredients and place on a baking sheet or pan. Bake at 415 for 20-25 minutes, until fork tender and beginning to caramelize.
For the pizza oil:
1/2 cup olive oil
3 heaping tbsp chopped olives
2 tbsp chopped sun-dried tomatoes
1/2 tbsp fennel seeds
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
salt
When the carrots are almost done, start making your oil. Add olive oil to a pan and heat over low. Add olives, sun-dried tomatoes, fennel seeds, and red pepper flakes and cook gently over low until very fragrant and spices are starting to brown, 3-5 minutes. Add in your garlic along with a pinch of salt and cook for another 3 or so minutes until garlic is starting to brown. Remove from the heat and set aside until ready to use.
For serving:
1-2 balls burrata cheese
Small handful of finely chopped parsley
Small handful of pistachios, roughly chopped
Flaky salt
To serve, grab your favorite plate or platter and place your burrata in the center. Arrange carrots on top of and around the cheese, then spoon on your oil. Sprinkle with parsley, pistachios, and flaky salt to finish. Enjoy, enjoy, enjoy.
Make it easier
For the oil, I haven’t tried it but have heard great things about Brightland’s Pizza Oil. You could use that or a garlic-infused oil, then top with the sun dried tomatoes, olives, and fennel seeds to cut down a bit on cooking time.
Notes
Make ahead: Make the oil up to 3 days ahead and gently heat over low heat before serving.
Leftovers: Let leftovers come to room temp before serving. Nothing worse than oil that’s solidified in the fridge. Alternately, add all leftovers (burrata and all) to an oven-safe dish and bake at 400 until warmed through and melty.
Nextovers: The carrots, burrata, and oil, plus some rotisserie chicken or deli turkey and arugula on a crusty baguette sounds like a perfect sammie.
Let’s chat food
Leave a comment below or email me at hellosaturdaytable@gmail.com. And thank you for being here.
