If you’re looking for a quick meal that tastes and looks as though it took far more time to make than it really did, try these cheesy ricotta crostinis with figs and honey. The only cooking involved is toasting a couple slices of bread, and the rest of the ingredients can be whipped up in a matter of minutes. While a far cry from vegan fare, if you get a craving for cheese as I often do, then you’ll love how these crostinis perfectly balance the savory and salty ricotta cheese with the sweetness from the figs and honey.
Level: Medium
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 5 minutes
Total time: 10 minutes
Servings: 2
Ingredients:
Whole wheat baguette
Olive oil (for drizzling)
1 cup ricotta cheese
2 tablespoons finely chopped thyme
Sea salt
Freshly cracked pepper
15 dried figs, cut in half (Whole Foods bulk section) or sliced pear
Honey
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 450°F.
2. Slice baguette into 10-12 ½ inch thick slices, and place on baking sheet.
3. Drizzle each slice with a generous amount of olive oil and bake in oven for 5-6 minutes or until they are just golden brown.
4. Meanwhile, mix 1 cup of ricotta cheese in a small bowl with 2 tablespoons of chopped thyme, a pinch of sea salt (or kosher salt) and freshly cracked pepper to taste.
5. Once the bread is toasted, spread a heaping spoonful of the ricotta mixture onto each slice.
6. Top with quartered figs, or slivered pear, and drizzle with honey.
Serve 3-4 per person alongside a simple salad for lunch, or just eat as an afternoon snack.
Craving more? Check out the rest of Julia’s column here.