Three Okanagan peach recipes we make on repeat every August: a burrata salad, a fresh salsa, and a pancetta pasta, all built around the ripest peaches in Kelowna. Ours are freestone, sun-ripened, and impossible to ignore once the first crate shows up at the market. Here's the burrata starter first, a dead-simple plate that turns local peaches and a good ball of burrata into something worth setting the table for. See where to shop for everything at the bottom of this post.
Peach, Basil & Burrata
Serves 4 as a starter
Ingredients
- 4 ripe, freestone Crosby Organics Peaches
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- Pinch of salt
- 2 balls Perseval and Young burrata (about 8 oz total)
- 1 small handful fresh basil leaves, thinly sliced
- Good olive oil, for finishing
- Honey, for drizzling
- Lemon, for a light squeeze
- Flaky salt, such as Maldon, and cracked black pepper
Preparation
- Halve and pit the peaches. Toss with lemon juice and a pinch of salt.
- Arrange peach halves cut-side up on a parchment-lined tray or plate. Freeze a halved and pitted peach for at least 4 hours, or overnight, until solid.
Instructions
- Just before serving, tear each burrata ball into 2–3 pieces and arrange on chilled plates or a shallow platter.
- Working quickly, grate the frozen peach halves directly over the burrata using the fine holes of a box grater. The peach will fall in light, snowy shards.
- Finish with a drizzle of olive oil and honey and a light squeeze of lemon, then scatter with basil. Top with flaky salt and black pepper. Serve immediately, before the peach melts.
Notes
- Use the ripest peaches you can find. Freezing mutes sweetness slightly, so start with fruit that's already fragrant and soft.
- Grate directly over each plate rather than in advance; the peach starts melting within a minute or two of contact with air.
- A drizzle of good olive oil and a crack of pepper make a bigger difference here than any other addition.
Chopped Peach, Heirloom Tomato & Red Onion Salsa
Makes about 3 cups
Ingredients
- 3 ripe peaches, pitted and finely chopped
- 3 medium heirloom tomatoes, cored and finely chopped
- 1/2 small red onion, finely chopped
- 1/2 cup fresh cilantro, finely chopped
- 1 jalapeño, seeded and finely chopped (optional)
- 2 tbsp lime juice
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1/4 tsp sweet paprika
- Salt, to taste
Instructions
- Finely chop the peaches, tomatoes, red onion, and cilantro to a uniform, small dice - aim for pieces roughly the same size so each bite is balanced.
- Combine everything in a bowl with the jalapeño, if using.
- Add the lime juice, olive oil, sweet paprika, and a pinch of salt. Toss gently to combine.
- Taste and adjust salt and lime as needed. Let sit for 10-15 minutes before serving to let the flavors come together.
Notes
- Chop the tomatoes over the bowl to catch their juices - they add body to the salsa.
- Soak the diced red onion in cold water for 5 minutes first if you want to mellow its bite.
- Best eaten the day it's made; the peaches soften and release more liquid the longer it sits.
Serving TIPS: Use this with your favourite chicken or pork taco recipe, or serve this on top of crostini or toasty bread with olive oil, like a peach bruschetta.
Zucchini Noodles with Pan-Roasted Peach, Pancetta & Walnuts
Serves 4 as a main, or 6 as a starter
Ingredients
- 4 medium zucchini, spiralized into noodles
- 3 ripe peaches, sliced into wedges
- 4 oz pancetta, thinly sliced into rounds
- 2 tbsp white balsamic vinegar
- 1/2 cup walnuts, toasted and roughly chopped
- 1 small handful fresh basil leaves, torn
- 2 tbsp olive oil, plus more for finishing
- Salt and cracked black pepper, to taste
- 1/2 cup Perseval and Young ricotta, plus a drizzle of olive oil and a squeeze of lemon, for tossing the noodles
Preparation
- Spiralize the zucchini into noodles. Lay them on paper towels and salt lightly to draw out excess moisture while you prep everything else.
- Toast the walnuts in a dry pan over medium heat, tossing until fragrant, 3-4 minutes. Set aside.
Instructions
- Lay the pancetta rounds in a large skillet over medium heat, like frying bacon, and cook until crisp, flipping once, about 5-6 minutes total. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate, leaving the rendered fat in the pan.
- Add the peach wedges to the same pan, cut-side down, and pan-roast over medium-high heat until caramelized, 2-3 minutes per side. Add the white balsamic, swirl to deglaze, and let it reduce for 30 seconds. Remove peaches and set aside.
- In a large bowl, toss the zucchini noodles with the ricotta, a drizzle of olive oil, and a squeeze of lemon until well coated.
- Plate the noodles, then top with the pan-roasted peaches, pancetta crisps, and toasted walnuts. Scatter with basil, finish with a drizzle of olive oil, salt, and black pepper.
Notes
- Salting and draining the zucchini ahead of time keeps the finished dish from turning watery.
- The noodles are served raw, tossed with ricotta - no need to cook them, which keeps them crisp rather than watery.
- The pancetta fat left in the pan is what gives the peaches their savory edge; don't rinse the pan between steps.
ALTERNATIVE OPTION: Replace the zucchini noodles with real italian pasta. Choose Pici, Bucatini, Spaghetti alla Chitarra or regular spaghetti. Make sure it is real durum semolina pasta "al bronzo". Find good pasta at Valoroso Foods.
Where to Shop
- Perseval & Young Cheesemongers - 1046 Richter St, Kelowna, BC. Burrata and ricotta.
- Carnist Ethical Butcher - 1038 Richter St, Kelowna, BC. Pancetta.
- Kelowna Farmers' and Crafters' Market - Landmark District, Kelowna, BC. Wed & Sat, 8am-1pm, April-October.
- Crosby Organics - East Kelowna, BC. Organic, tree-ripened peaches.
- KLO Farm Market - 1760 KLO Rd, Kelowna, BC. Produce, tomatoes, red onion, herbs.
- Valoroso Foods - 1467 Sutherland Ave, Kelowna, BC. Italian pancetta, good olive oil, Maldon salt.
* KLO MARKET U-PICK FLOWERS are delighting our home this summer. Make sure to stop in for your custom bouquet. Roam the flower garden to make your selections!
