There’s one thing magical a few “excellent chew” of meals—the type that makes everybody cease mid-bite and say, “Wait, what is that this?” This recipe from A Couple Cooks delivers simply that: creamy ricotta, candy fruit, spicy honey, and crusty bread that in some way come collectively to style like a tiny masterpiece. Belief us, these received’t final lengthy at your subsequent social gathering.
Sonja and Alex Overhiser, the facility couple behind A Couple Cooks, are professionals at creating recipes which might be easy however filled with taste, and this one is not any exception. If yow will discover Calabrian chiles, they’ll add a smoky, fruity warmth to the honey that takes it excessive. No luck? No drawback—your go-to sizzling sauce will work simply tremendous. Both method, get able to make an appetizer which may simply steal the present.
Recipe
MAKES 20 CROSTINI
1 baguette, lower into twenty ½ in [13 mm] slices
1 cup [240 g] ricotta cheese
½ Tbsp olive oil
1 Tbsp milk of alternative
¼ tsp kosher salt
½ tsp lemon zest (non-obligatory)
¼ cup [85 g] honey
2 tsp jarred chopped Calabrian chile peppers, or 2 tsp sizzling sauce
1 apple, pear, or ripe peach, thinly sliced (see Suggestions)
¼ cup [30 g] finely chopped pistachios
Directions
Preheat the oven to 425°F [220°C]. Organize the baguette slices on a baking sheet. Bake till frivolously browned and really crisp, 7 to 10 minutes. Cool to room temperature.
In a meals processor, course of the ricotta cheese, olive oil, milk, kosher salt, and lemon zest till mild and creamy, about 1 minute (see Suggestions).
In a small bowl, stir collectively the honey and the Calabrian chile peppers.
To serve, unfold the crostini with the whipped ricotta, then prime with the fruit slices, sizzling honey, and chopped pistachios.
Suggestions
Don’t have a meals processor? Whip the ricotta with the opposite elements utilizing a whisk or mixer. The feel received’t be as clean, nevertheless it’s simply as tasty.
Customise the fruit primarily based on the season. Apples work for a lot of the 12 months, nevertheless it’s improbable with peaches in the summertime. Attempt peaches, blackberries, plums, or apricots when they’re in season.
Calabrian chiles are bought in jars within the grocery or on-line (both chopped or entire), packed in oil. You should use up the remainder of the jar as a pizza topping for Date-Evening Pizza, or add a tablespoon or two chopped peppers to make a spicy pasta sauce for Smoky Spinach & Artichoke Lasagna, Meatballs with Hearth-Roasted Marinara, or Rigatoni with Fennel & Pancetta.
For Gluten-Free
Use gluten-free bread for the crostini.
Storage
Crostini are finest served instantly after topping. To prep prematurely, make all of the parts forward and refrigerate the ricotta and fruit slices, tossed with a little bit of lemon juice to stop browning. Assemble simply earlier than serving.
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