Sweet Ricotta And Fresh Fruit Toasts Recipe - Cooking Index
Sweet Ricotta And Fresh Fruit Toasts Recipe - Cooking Index
There's something quite fun and friendly about this, a big tray of fresh sweet toasts, honey-sweetened ricotta cheese, and fresh summer fruit. You just bring everything to the table on separate plates and let everyone assemble their own open-face fruit sandwiches -- which is essentially what these are. This is a dessert to be savored in July or August, when the fruit is at its peak and the setting is casual. Serve with glasses of port.
Courses: Dessert| 1 lb | 454g / 16oz | Ricotta cheese |
| 1/4 cup | 59ml | Mild honey |
| = (like orange blossom or clover) | ||
| 1 tablespoon | 15ml | Fresh lemon juice |
| Grated zest of 1/2 lemon | ||
| A drop or 2 of vanilla extract | ||
| 1 | Long loaf French bread (baguette) | |
| 2 tablespoons | 30ml | Unsalted butter - softened |
| Sugar - as needed | ||
| Assorted fresh summer fruit | ||
| = (including ripe raspberries, | ||
| Strawberries, peaches, and nectarines) |
In a bowl, combine the ricotta cheese, honey, lemon juice and zest, and vanilla. Stir to blend, then cover and refrigerate.
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Cut the bread on the diagonal into 10 to 12 full slices, each about 1-inch thick. Butter both sides with the soft butter, then lay them on a large baking sheet. Sprinkle the tops with a little sugar, then toast in the oven for 15 minutes or so, until golden brown.
While the bread toasts, clean and/or slice the fruit and arrange it in bowls or on a platter. Peel peaches and nectarines, but don't slice them until the last minute. Rinse strawberries, slicing them if necessary. Don't run water over raspberries or they'll get soggy.
To serve, bring everything to the table and let each person assemble their own. Spread the sweetened ricotta thickly over the bread, and arrange the fruit on top. If the fruit isn't perfectly ripe, provide a bit of sugar on the side to sprinkle on and lemon slices to squeeze on the fruit as well.
This recipe yields 4 to 6 servings.
Source:
Cookbook Digest, May/Jun, 1996
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