Toasted French bread topped with creamy herbed ricotta cheese, blistered tomatoes, balsamic vinegar, and fresh basil ribbons!
Course: Appetizer
Cuisine: Italian
Servings: 10crostini
Ingredients
1loafFrench baguettesliced into rounds
1c.ricotta cheese
1/2c.basilfinely chopped
1/4tsp.crushed red pepper flakes
Sea salt and freshly cracked pepperto taste
1T.olive oil
1(10.5 oz.) cont. grape or cherry tomatoes
2clovesgarlicminced
Aged balsamic vinegarfor drizzling
fresh basil ribbonsfor garnish
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Slice the baguette into rounds and place on a baking sheet. Toast until crisp, about 3 minutes; flip to crisp on the other side about 3 minutes more. Remove from the oven; set aside.
In a mixing bowl, combine ricotta cheese, chopped basil and crushed red pepper flakes; season with sea salt and freshly cracked pepper. Taste then re-season if needed.
Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the tomatoes and cook, stirring often, until blistered. Add minced garlic and cook, stirring constantly for 60 seconds; season with sea salt and freshly cracked pepper to taste. Remove from heat.
Slather the ricotta mixture over the toast then spoon the tomato mixture on top. Drizzle with good quality balsamic vinegar. Top with fresh basil ribbons and serve immediately. Enjoy!