whipped honey ricotta caprese toasts
Shout out to the sun for showing up with about 30 minutes to spare before my light went to shit so I could photograph these bad boys.
How many of ya’ll are creatures of habit? I guess humans are as a whole, but some of us are more attached to routine than others – and I am definitely one of those folks who finds comfort in familiar timelines. For instance, my mornings are pretty set in stone: wake up, drink electrolytes, journal, prep coffee, run and/or gym, shower, coffee and stroopwafel, derp around, breakfast, then start my day.
A full sequence of events before 8 am. Just how I like things in my life.
However, attachment usually leads to eventual detachment. I get bored with the day by day same-sameness, want to switch things up, yet don’t really know how without throwing my brain into a tizzy. That’s where I’ve felt stuck lately. I need to jazz up some part of my daily existence, but can’t identify where is most practical for me to do so.
This recipe is a good example of me finding comfort in familiarity. Cherry tomatoes are incredible this year, abundantly available, and maybe because it was a good growing season, Publix keeps putting my favorite brand on BOGO. So I keep buying them. Whenever I drag into a rut, going back to combinations and flavors well-adored by my tastebuds helps me channel enough creative energy to find something new to enjoy, yet allows me to not deviate so much that it stresses me out.
Yes, I know, lots of caprese and bruschetta-themed foods of late, but what can I say? Caprese is timeless, and you can switch things up enough to garner interest without dropping the integrity of its undoubtedly fresh visage. These toasts are perfect for folks wanting something beyond the usual MTB, but still accessible and quick to make.
Instead of mozz, we whip up a container of creamy ricotta with some honey and salt and lay it thick upon grilled slabs of baguette. Quick marinated tomatoes top off the toasts, and a sprinkle of fresh basil and black pepper ties the appetizer into one neat little knot of awesome.
These are great for 4th of July or any entertaining occasion for which you need them. Only 15-20 minutes needed, a handful of easy ingredients, and BOOM. A worthy, tasty, pretty app.
Gotta Ricotta
For real, whipping cheeses is just a glorious prep method. Ricotta is one of the easiest to do: because of it’s malleable, creamy texture, it takes no time at all to rearrange into a fluffy spread.
Before I whip the ricotta, I like to prep the marinated tomatoes since they taste even better when they’ve sat for awhile. Halve a big handful of cherry tomatoes and toss with olive oil, white balsamic vinegar, fresh basil, mint, and oregano, minced garlic, and a hit of salt and pepper. Taste and adjust the seasonings as needed, and let the tomatoes hang out on the counter while you piddly fart with the rest.
Now, the ricotta. Plop the whole container into a food processor with some honey and flaky salt, then blitz until it’s super smooth and lush. This should only take a minute or two.
Toast to the Toast
Grab your choice baguette and slice into 8 slabs. Or 6, or 10, doesn’t really matter how many pieces you have so long as they’re an agreeable size for you. I like to get those really long crusty breads from the bakery since they yield a lot of toasts.
I like to grill my baguette, because it’s fucken glorious, so do this or you could toast it in a skillet or under the broiler. Brush the cut sides with some olive oil and toast for a minute or two until golden to your liking. I enjoy a good crunch, so I veer more towards 2 minutes.
Then, put together your toasts! Spread the ricotta, top with tomatoes, and finish with lots of fresh basil from your 8 houseplants (oh, that’s just me, woops. I get us mixed up all the time) and cracked black pepper.
If you didn’t use all the tomatoes on the breads themselves, serve them on the side. Or hoard the leftovers for your salads throughout the week. I won’t tell anyone.
See? Couldn’t be simpler, or more scrumptious. Enjoy!
Tried this recipe out? Leave a rating and comment below with your thoughts, and don’t forget to come say hi on Instagram and show me what you made!
Toasts for mosts:
Marinated Tomato Basil Avocado Toast
Herb Garlic Whipped Feta and Smoked Salmon Toasts
Roasted Garlic Whipped Ricotta Toasts with Avocado and Herbs
Burrata Avocado Toast with Basil Vinaigrette
whipped honey ricotta caprese toasts
Ingredients
- 1 French or sourdough baguette
- 1 15-oz container whole milk ricotta
- 2-3 tbsp honey
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tbsp white balsamic vinegar
- 2 tbsp fresh basil, chopped
- 1 tsp fresh oregano, chopped
- 1 tsp fresh mint, chopped
- 1/2 tsp chili powder
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- fresh basil and cracked black pepper, to serve
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, toss the tomatoes with the olive oil, balsamic, basil, oregano, mint, chili powder, garlic, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Let sit at room temperature while you prepare the rest of the dish.
- Slice the baguette into 8 toasts. Brush the cut sides with olive oil. Heat a grill pan or skillet over medium heat. Place the toasts cut-side down and toast for 1-2 minutes until nicely charred to your liking. Alternatively, you can warm them under the broiler for 1-2 minutes.
- In the bowl of a food processor, add the ricotta, honey, and 1/2 tsp kosher salt. Whip until very creamy, scraping down the sides of the bowl with a spatula as needed, about 1-2 minutes. Taste and adjust honey and salt as desired.
- Spread the ricotta on each toast. Sprinkle tomatoes overtop (make sure to get some of that yummy marinade in the crevices as well!) and finish with fresh basil and cracked pepper.
