Herbed Ricotta Bruschettas

Herbed Ricotta on Toasted Baguette

Prep time: 10 minutes

Cook time: three minutes

Yields: six servings.

So, I should first say the discovery of this recipe came about because I had some left-over Ricotta cheese from another recipe and I didn’t want it to go to waste! What I love about this recipe, in addition to its fabulous taste is that I was able to harvest and use the Dill, Chives and Garlic from my own garden! Using what I grow in the Posh Market Garden in my recipes and cooking brings me such joy and satisfaction.

This recipe is courtesy of Ina Garten. I found it on the Food network website, and it comes from the show Barefoot Contessa: Modern Comfort Food. Ina Garten is one of my favorite cookbook authors, so I knew it was going to be good!

Ingredients

·      2 cups ricotta, store-bought or homemade (recipe follows) – I will say when I made this, I cut the recipe in half, again because that is how much ricotta cheese I had left over.

·      3 Tablespoons minced scallions, white and green parts (two scallions)

·      2 Tablespoons minced fresh dill

·      1 Tablespoon minced fresh chives

·      Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

·      1 Round sourdough bread

·      Good olive oil

·      1 Whole garlic clove, cut in half

Homemade Ricotta:

I should note here that I used store bought so I’ve not taste tested this part of the recipe.

·      4 Cups whole milk

·      2 Cups heavy cream

·      1Teaspoon Kosher salt

·      3 Tablespoons good white wine vinegar

Directions

Ina grills her bread, but I’m a lazy cook so I baked mine, so they were more like crostini.

Combine the ricotta, scallions, dill, chives, 1 teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon pepper and set aside. If you are grilling the bread, cut it in half and cut each half into 6 thick slices to make 12 slices total.  Turn on the gas grill to medium-high heat.

When the grill is hot, brush the bread with olive oil and grill on each side for 1 ½ to 2 minutes, until lightly browned. Remove from the grill and rub each slice of bread with cut side of the garlic clove. Or… if you are using the oven, cut your bread or baguette into thin slices and drizzle slices with olive oil and bake until they are toasty and crunchy to the bite, then rub with garlic clove.

Sprinkle with salt and pepper and spread with the herbed ricotta.

Homemade Ricotta

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 the 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 pats (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. 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.

Ina serves her bruschetta with a green salad so I’m including this info as well.

Green Salad Vinaigrette

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.

I think the next time I make this taste treat; I will try to make my own Ricotta and serve it with mixed greens… most likely from the Posh Market Garden!

Bon Appetit!