if you have been following me for any length of time, you know i'm a freak for tomatoes. if you are new, well, i'm a tomato freak.
as a kid, i would take tomatoes to school in my lunch with a homemade salt shaker made by my mother and eat that bad boy like an apple. i would salt each bite perfectly and didn't give a rats patootie that everyone on the school lunch tables was looking at me like i was crazy.
looking back now, there were so many signs i would be a cook someday that just didn't seem to mean much then.
and in my older age, my love of tomatoes has only increased. i'm not really talking about the mealy, all water, no flavor type you get in the off seasons at the super markets. i'm talking about juicy, multi color, crazy shaped and sized SUMMER tomatoes. and friends, we are in the middle of tomato season. i'm in heaven.
i had picked up a ton of tomatoes from my local produce store for my heirloom tomato & plum salad that i was making for a catering event and got lucky with a few left over. and so this tasty dish was born. you could make this for a delicious summer lunch date or as an appetizer for your next summer gathering. or hell, just for a snack like i did today.
summer tomato + ricotta toast
serves: 2
prep time: 5 minutes
active time: 15 minutes
total time: 20 minutes
ingredients: 1 cup diced summer tomatoes (whatever you can find, bonus points if they come from someone's garden). 1 garlic clove, minced. 1 tsp lemon juice. 1 tbs fresh basil, sliced thin. .5 tsp kosher salt. .25 tsp freshly ground pepper. 4 x 1 inch slices of ciabatta bread. 2 tbs butter. 4 tbs whole milk ricotta. balsamic 2 tbs balsamic glaze (my favorite is from trader joe's, but you can find balsamic glaze at most major super markets near the vinegar/salad dressings).
start by preheating your oven to 425 degrees f. while the oven heats, lightly butter both sides of each slice of ciabatta bread. place the bread on a baking sheet and bake for 6 minutes a side. until the bread is nice and toasty on the outside. while the bread is toasting, combine the tomato, lemon juice, the garlic and the salt & pepper in a medium bowl.
add in the basil and stir to combine.
when the bread is done toasting, spread 1 tbs of ricotta on each slice of bread.
top each toast with a big spoonful of the tomato mixture.
drizzle the toasts with the balsamic glaze.
serve and enjoy.
xo, a
summer tomato + ricotta toast
serves: 2
prep time: 5 minutes
active time: 15 minutes
total time: 20 minutes
ingredients: 1 cup diced summer tomatoes (whatever you can find, bonus points if they come from someone's garden). 1 garlic clove, minced. 1 tsp lemon juice. 1 tbs fresh basil, sliced thin. .5 tsp kosher salt. .25 tsp freshly ground pepper. 4 x 1 inch slices of ciabatta bread. 2 tbs butter. 4 tbs whole milk ricotta. balsamic 2 tbs balsamic glaze (my favorite is from trader joe's, but you can find balsamic glaze at most major super markets near the vinegar/salad dressings).
start by preheating your oven to 425 degrees f. while the oven heats, lightly butter both sides of each slice of ciabatta bread. place the bread on a baking sheet and bake for 6 minutes a side. until the bread is nice and toasty on the outside. while the bread is toasting, combine the tomato, lemon juice, the garlic and the salt & pepper in a medium bowl. add in the basil and stir to combine. when the bread is done toasting, spread 1 tbs of ricotta on each slice of bread. top each toast with a big spoonful of the tomato mixture. drizzle the toasts with the balsamic glaze. serve and enjoy.