Herbed Ricotta And Tomato Crostini Food

ROASTED TOMATO, RICOTTA AND BASIL CROSTINI

Steps:

• For the crostini: Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
• Cut the baguette into thin slices and put them on one of the prepared baking sheets. Brush the bread with olive oil, then sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste. Bake until they are golden brown and crunchy, about 15 minutes.
• For the roasted tomatoes: In a medium bowl, mix together the tomatoes, honey, olive oil and red wine vinegar and season with salt and pepper. Put the mixture on the other prepared baking sheet and bake until the tomatoes start to color and shrivel, about 25 minutes.
• For the ricotta: In a medium bowl, mix together the ricotta, olive oil and garlic powder until well combined. Season with salt and pepper.
• When the crostini are cooled slightly, spread the ricotta cheese mixture over the top of each piece, and then top with the roasted tomatoes, drizzling any extra juices over the top. Garnish with the chiffonade of basil.

HEIRLOOM TOMATOES WITH HERBED RICOTTA

Steps:

• In a medium bowl, combine the ricotta, scallions, dill, chives, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper and set aside for up to 30 minutes.
• With a small serrated knife, cut the larger tomatoes in wedges through the stem and the smaller tomatoes in half through the stem. Place them in a medium bowl with the garlic, olive oil, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper and set aside.
• When ready to serve, add the basil to the tomatoes and combine. Pile the ricotta in a large (12-inch) round shallow bowl or oval platter. Using a slotted spoon, place the tomatoes around the ricotta, discarding any liquid. Drizzle the tomatoes and ricotta with olive oil, sprinkle with the reserved basil and fleur de sel, and serve at room temperature.
• Set a fine-mesh sieve over a deep bowl. Dampen 2 pieces of cheesecloth with water and line the sieve with a double layer of the cheesecloth.
• Pour the milk and cream into a medium stainless-steel or enameled pot, such as Le Creuset, and stir in the salt. Bring to a full rolling boil over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Turn off the heat and pour in the vinegar. Allow the mixture to stand for one minute, until it curdles. It will separate into thick parts (the curds) and milky parts (the whey).
• Pour the mixture into the cheesecloth-lined sieve and allow it to drain into the bowl at room temperature for 20 minutes (for soft ricotta) to 25 minutes (for firmer ricotta), occasionally discarding the liquid that collects in the bowl. Transfer the ricotta to a bowl, discarding the cheesecloth and any remaining liquid. Use immediately or cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate. The ricotta will keep, refrigerated, for 4 to 5 days.

RICOTTA BRUSCHETTA WITH SWEET AND SPICY TOMATOES

Steps:

• For the tomatoes: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• Spread the cherry tomatoes, garlic, basil, olive oil and salt on a small rimmed baking sheet and toss well to coat. Roast until the tomatoes have popped and are beginning to brown, 30 to 40 minutes. Allow to cool slightly.
• For the spicy honey: Meanwhile, combine the honey, Calabrian chile, salt and 2 tablespoons water in a small saucepan. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, then let simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from the heat to cool completely.
• For the bruschetta: Heat a grill pan over medium-high heat.
• Whisk together the ricotta, salt and 2 tablespoons olive oil in a bowl. Drizzle the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil on the bread and grill until golden brown and toasted, about 4 minutes per side. Divide the ricotta among the bread slices. Top with the tomatoes and drizzle with spicy honey. Scatter the basil over the top.

HERBED RICOTTA BRUSCHETTAS

Steps:

• Prepare a charcoal grill with hot coals or turn a gas grill to medium-high heat.
• Combine the ricotta, scallions, dill, chives, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper and set aside. Cut the bread in half and cut each half into 6 thick slices to make 12 slices total.
• When the grill is hot, brush the bread with olive oil and grill on each side for 1 1/2 to 2 minutes, until lightly browned. Remove from the grill and rub each slice of bread with the cut side of the garlic clove. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and spread with the herbed ricotta. Serve 2 warm slices per person with the green salad on the side.
• Set a large sieve over a deep bowl. Dampen 2 layers of cheesecloth with water and line the sieve with the cheesecloth.
• Pour the milk and cream into a stainless-steel or enameled pot such as Le Creuset. Stir in the salt. Bring to a full boil over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Turn off the heat and stir in the vinegar. Allow the mixture to stand for 1 minute until it curdles. It will separate into thick parts (the curds) and milky parts (the whey).
• Pour the mixture into the cheesecloth-lined sieve and allow it to drain into the bowl at room temperature for 20 to 25 minutes, occasionally discarding the liquid that collects in the bowl. The longer you let the mixture drain, the thicker the ricotta. (I tend to like mine on the thicker side, but some prefer it moister.) Transfer the ricotta to a bowl, discarding the cheesecloth and any remaining whey. Use immediately or cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate. The ricotta will keep refrigerated for 4 to 5 days.
• Place the salad greens in a large bowl.
• In a small bowl, whisk together the lemon juice, olive oil, salt, and pepper. Pour enough dressing on the salad to moisten. Toss and serve.

LEMON HERB, HOMEMADE RICOTTA & ROASTED TOMATO CROSTINI

Steps:

• Ricotta -- First step is to make your ricotta which - seriously makes itself. It is so easy. You will need a heavy bottomed pot or strainer or colander, cheese cloth and a big bowl. Step 1: Set up your colander over a large bowl. Make sure there is plenty of room in the bowl for the liquid to drain. Take 2 pieces of damp cheese cloth and line the colander. Step 2: In a medium to large pot, bring the milk, cream and salt to a rolling boil on medium heat stirring often. Once it is boiling add in the vinegar and immediately remove from the heat and stir. The vinegar will cause the milk and cream to separate and form curds. Stir a couple of times, wait 2-3 minutes, and then pour it into the strainer or colander on top of the cheese cloth. You will see the whey or clear liquid separate from the milk curds and drain to the bottom of the bowl. Let it rest at room temp for about 15-20 minutes to cool before you put it in the refrigerator. Just make sure as it sets in the refrigerator that none of the liquid in the bowl is touching the bottom of the ricotta. Make sure to cover the ricotta with saran wrap. Personally, I like to let mine set over night, but at least 4 hours to cool down and set.
• Tomatoes -- I like to have these chilled rather than hot, so I make these ahead of time too. Couldn't be easier. Oven at 425, line a baking sheet with aluminum foil or parchment paper and add the tomatoes. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Bake for approximately 10 minutes until they begin to soften, but not falling apart. Let cool, transfer to a plate and cover. Done!
• Herbed Topping -- Add the ricotta, lemon zest and juice, scallions, herbs, salt and pepper. Mix well and set to the side. I prefer to make this right before I serve.
• Baguettes -- Some people bake them on a high temp in the oven, personally, I prefer to broil mine. They take only a minute or two and it is easy. I line a baking sheet with foil or parchment paper and add the baguette slices. Drizzle with olive oil and broil the first side. Once golden brown, flip and broil just another minute until brown. Remove and rub the garlic on the side you drizzled with olive oil. That is the side you will add the toppings to. The garlic is optional, but I think it gives it a great taste.
• Finish -- Top each of the baguette with a little of the arugula (optional), then a spoon of the ricotta and a tomato slice. ENJOY!
• Prep time doesn't include the chilling of the ricotta.

HERBED RICOTTA CROSTINI

Steps:

• To begin, pre-heat your oven to 180 degrees C (350 F).
• To prepare the crostini, slice the bread thinly, about 1 cm/a little more than ¼ inch. Brush each side of the bread with olive oil, then season with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper.
• Place on a baking tray and put in the oven for about 8 minutes, turning halfway through. The toasts are done when they are lightly golden and crisp to the touch. Rub the toasts with garlic. Leave to cool on the baking tray.
• Next, chop the tomatoes into quarters, place into a bowl and season to taste with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. Stir well to combine and set aside.
• In a small bowl, mix the ricotta with the chopped chives and basil. Mix them well together.
• To assemble, spread a teaspoon of the herbed ricotta on the crostini, top with 2 or 3 pieces of tomato and garnish with a small basil leaf.

ROASTED TOMATO AND RICOTTA CROSTINI

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 300 degrees. On a rimmed baking sheet, drizzle olive oil over tomatoes and season with salt and pepper. Bake until tomatoes are very soft and skins have burst, 1 hour. (Refrigerate roasted tomatoes in an airtight container, up to 3 days.) Divide cheese among crostini and top with roasted tomatoes. To serve, drizzle with oil and vinegar and season with salt and pepper.