Step 1: Make the Garlic Confit

• Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).
• Peel the garlic cloves and place them in a small oven-safe dish or ramekin. Add 1/2 cup of olive oil, season with 1/2 tsp salt, a pinch of black pepper, and tuck in the thyme and rosemary sprigs.
• Cover the dish with foil and roast for about 1 hour, or until the garlic becomes soft, golden, and fragrant. The garlic will infuse the oil with its flavor, creating a versatile garlic confit that can be used in this dish and many others.

Step 2: Roast the Tomatoes & Beets

• After making the garlic confit, increase the oven temperature to 450°F (230°C).
• In a skillet or roasting pan, add the grape or cherry tomatoes and the diced cooked beets.
• Pour the garlic confit (including the infused oil) over the tomatoes and beets, reserving a bit of the oil for future use if desired. Season with 1/2 tsp of salt and a few cracks of black pepper.
• Roast the vegetables for 15-20 minutes, or until the tomatoes are blistered, soft, and beginning to burst, and the beets are warmed through. The roasting will concentrate the natural sweetness of the tomatoes and beets.

Step 3: Assemble the Appetizer

• Once the roasted vegetables are ready, remove them from the oven and allow them to cool slightly.
• Arrange the roasted tomatoes and beets on a serving plate or shallow dish. Top the roasted vegetables with the burrata. The heat from the tomatoes and beets will gently soften the burrata, allowing the creamy center to ooze slightly, creating a luxurious texture.
• Sprinkle a few cracks of black pepper over the top, and garnish the dish with fresh basil chiffonade for a burst of herby freshness.

Step 4: Serve with Crostini

• Serve this appetizer with garlic-rubbed crostini. To make crostini, slice a baguette thinly, toast the slices, and rub each piece with a raw garlic clove. The crostini provides a crunchy base perfect for scooping up the creamy burrata and roasted vegetables.
• This appetizer is best enjoyed immediately, while the burrata is still slightly warm, and the roasted garlic confit oil has soaked into the crostini.