Whipped Ricotta Toast With Tomatoes and Peppers
556 days ago
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Bruschetta, avocado toast, crostini and anything else that requires a crunchy type of bread with some type of topping - I'm in! There really is no end to the variety of toppings that can be used on toasted bread - fresh vegetables, fruit and even chocolate. We've experimented with many in our kitchen, just take a look at the many recipes on this blog.
Recently we made a Roasted Red Pepper Tart and we had some extra roasted peppers to use up. It got us thinking that they would be excellent on toast and after a few trial-and-error attempts we landed on Whipped Ricotta Toast With Tomatoes and Peppers. Whipping the ricotta in a food processor made it creamy and light, providing the perfect base for a pile of roasted peppers and tomatoes. If there is one thing I can recommend, it is to invest in the flaky sea salt. We sprinkled a small amount over each toast and it really boosted the flavor.
Prepping the Ingredients
Roast the red peppers by cutting them in half and deseeding them. Place them, cut side down, on a baking sheet that is lined with parchment paper. Bake for 40 minutes in a 475 F oven or until the peppers are charred. Once the peppers are cooled, peel off the skin and discard it. Using a 7" Santoku, cut them into strips and then dice into bite-size pieces.
To halve the cherry tomatoes lengthwise, use a Mini Cheese Knife .
Cut the bread into medium-sized slices with a 7-3/4" Petite Slicer (thick enough to handle the weight of the toppings).
Assembling the Toast
Mix together the roasted pepper pieces, tomatoes, one teaspoon of the kosher salt, quarter-teaspoon of black pepper, oregano and one tablespoon of garlic oil. If you can't find garlic oil, use regular olive oil and one-quarter teaspoon of garlic powder. The longer this mixture can marinate, the better the taste.
In a food processor, combine the ricotta, lemon zest, remaining half-teaspoon kosher salt and remaining quarter-teaspoon of black pepper. Process the mixture until smooth.
Turn oven to broil, on the high setting if you have that option, and brush both sides of the bread slices with the remaining olive oil. On a rimmed baking sheet, arrange the bread slices and place on the top rack of the oven. Broil until the bread is browned on the top side and flip to brown the other side. Take care to watch this process so the bread doesn't burn.
Once the bread has cooled, use a Spatula Spreader to spread each piece of toast with approximately two tablespoons of the ricotta mixture.
Divide the tomato and pepper mixture evenly among the slices of toast. Keep in mind you may have leftover tomatoes and peppers. If you do, place them into an air-tight container and serve as a side salad. Top each piece of prepared toast with fresh basil and chives then sprinkle each with some sea salt to taste and serve immediately.
The sea salt really pops the flavor of the tomatoes and peppers and each bite is delicious. The creamy ricotta pairs so well with the roasted peppers and tomatoes, that you'll find yourself reaching for a second piece of toast. Whipped Ricotta Toast With Tomatoes and Peppers is a wonderful appetizer that will leave no crumb behind. You won't be disappointed.
Ingredients
- 2 large red bell peppers, deseeded and halved
- 1 1/2 pounds cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, divided
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/4 cup garlic oil, divided
- 2 cups whole-milk ricotta
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- 1 (16-ounce) rustic bread loaf, cut into slices
- 1/2 teaspoon flaky sea salt
- 1/4 cup fresh basil leaves, chiffonade
- 1 tablespoon fresh chives, finely chopped
Directions
- Heat oven to 475 F.
- Place the peppers, cut side down, on a rimmed baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Place in preheated oven and bake for 40 minutes or until soft and slightly charred. Remove from oven.
- Once cool enough to handle, peel the skin off the roasted peppers and discard the skin. Cut the peppers into bite-size pieces.
- In a medium bowl, combine peppers, tomatoes, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, oregano and 1 tablespoon of garlic oil. Set aside.
- Combine ricotta, remaining 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, remaining 1/4 teaspoon black pepper and lemon zest in a food processor. Process until smooth, approximately 30 seconds.
- Turn oven to broil, on the high setting if you have that option.
- Brush both sides of the bread slices with remaining garlic oil.
- Place bread slices on a rimmed baking sheet and place on the top rack of the oven. Broil until the bread is browned on the top side, approximately one minute. Flip and broil the other side for 30 seconds.
- To assemble toasts, spread about 2 tablespoons ricotta mixture on each bread slice. Divide the tomato and pepper mixture evenly among the slices of toast and sprinkle with flaky sea salt. Top each slice of toast with basil and chives. Serve immediately.
