Burrata with croutons and nettle and basil pesto

Method

1. Heat the oven to 150°C fan/gas 3. Line a baking tray with baking paper then put the ciabatta slices on it. Drizzle with oil, season with salt, then put another sheet of baking paper on top. Top with another baking tray (this keeps the croutons flat as they cook) and bake for 8-10 minutes until golden and crisp. Set aside.
2. To make the pesto, bring a small pan of water to the boil and fill a bowl with iced water. Wash the nettles then blanch them in the boiling water for 1½ minutes. Drain, then instantly submerge in the iced water. Toast the pine nuts in a dry frying pan until golden brown (about 3 minutes).
3. Put the pine nuts in a blender with the garlic, parmesan, lemon juice and chilli flakes. Add a pinch of salt and pepper then whizz into a coarse paste. Drain the nettles by squeezing them in your hands (they won’t sting any more so don’t worry!) to get rid of as much water as possible, then add them to the paste with the basil and oil. Pulse a few times until it turns into a thick pesto. Taste to check the seasoning.
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4. To serve, heat a dash of olive oil in a frying pan over a high heat. Once shimmering hot, add the remaining basil leaves and fry for a minute until crisp, then drain on kitchen paper. Put a burrata on each serving plate, slightly off centre, then add three neat dollops of pesto alongside. Snap the croutons into smaller pieces and arrange between the dollops of pesto, followed by the fried basil leaves. Finish with a crack of black pepper and a final drizzle of oil.