RECIPES
Whipped Ricotta Crostini with Walnuts & Salted Honey
Ingredients
- 1 pound whole milk ricotta strained of any excess moisture
- Zest of ½ - 1 lemon to taste
- salt to taste
- 1 baguette (or focaccia) sliced into bite-sized rounds
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil
- ½ Cup walnuts chopped
- ¼ Cup honey
- 3 - 4 sprigs fresh thyme
- Flaky finishing salt to taste
Instructions
- Arrange a rack in the center third of the oven and preheat to 400° Fahrenheit (205° celsius).
- To make the whipped ricotta, add ricotta cheese, lemon zest and kosher salt into a food processor fitted with the blade attachment. Process on high speed for 1 minute until smooth and creamy. Transfer to a piping bag fitted with a petal decorating tip, if using. Refrigerate until ready to assemble the crostini.
- Arrange the sliced baguette (or focaccia) on a baking sheet. Use a pastry brush to brush a little olive oil on the tops of each slice. Toast in the oven for about 7 minutes or until the edges of the crostini are lightly golden.
- Toast the chopped walnuts for about 5 minutes or until golden and aromatic.
- Assemble the crostini just before serving. Pipe (or spread) a portion of the whipped ricotta on each crostini. Top each crostini with a sprinkle of toasted walnuts, fresh thyme leaves and a drizzle of honey. Finish with flaky sea salt, to taste.
Caramelized Onion & Brie Toast on Sourdough
Ingredients
- 2 slices of sourdough bread
- 1 large onion thinly sliced
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp butter
- 4 ounces brie cheese sliced
- Fresh thyme leaves
- Honey for drizzling
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Caramelize the Onions: In a large skillet, heat the olive oil and butter over medium heat.
- Add the thinly sliced onions and a pinch of salt.
- Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are golden brown and caramelized (about 20-25 minutes). If the onions start to stick, add a splash of water to deglaze the pan.
- Season with pepper to taste and set aside.
- Prepare the Toast: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).
- Place the sourdough slices on a baking sheet and toast them in the oven for about 5-7 minutes, or until they are crispy and lightly browned.
- Assemble the Toast: Top each slice of toasted sourdough with a generous amount of caramelized onions.
- Lay slices of brie cheese over the onions.
- Sprinkle fresh thyme leaves on top.
- Melt the Brie: Return the assembled toasts to the oven for about 5 minutes, or until the brie is just starting to melt.
- Finish with Honey: Remove the toasts from the oven and drizzle with honey.
- Serve: Serve immediately, garnished with additional fresh thyme if desired.
Brie with Caramelized Pear
Ingredients
- 4 tbsp granulated sugar
- 1 tbsp unsalted butter
- 1 tbsp maple syrup (optional)
- 1 tbsp water
- 1 peeled and sliced
- 30 g toasted and chopped pecans or other nut or seed
- 1 sprig rosemary
Instructions
- In a large and clean pan, spread out the sugar and place it over medium heat to melt and caramelize. Don't mix using utensils. Instead, rotate the pan using the handle if needed.
- Once melted and golden, add the water, maple syrup, butter and pear. Be careful because when you do this, it will splatter.
- Cook over medium heat until nearly no liquid is left on the pan (as it cools down, the pear will let go of more liquid). You can keep this preparation in the fridge for up to 5 days.
- Once at room temperature, place the pear over the cheese and serve with toasted and chopped pecans and rosemary springs.