Now I’ll never turn down home grown tomatoes... so I guess that’s why I have people messaging me that are growing them if I can take some off their hands. Well, I’m about at my limit, and always trying to find new ways to use those glorious summer fruits. When my friends Jay and Joe asked me to take some from their garden earlier this summer, my usual routine was to make a Persian salad called Salad Shirazi. One does grow tired of salad, so I decided to come up with new ways to enjoy those tomatoes.. and one of those ideas goes a little something like this... SUMMER TOMATO TARTINE WITH HOMEMADE RICOTTA Ricotta: You can keep this up to two weeks in a sealed container. Not only is it creamy and light for the tartines, but you can also use it in cheesecakes, lasagnas, stuffed shells, Icings... a whole lot of good things. 4 cups whole milk 1 cup heavy cream 3/4 cup butter milk Pinch of Fleur De Sel Bring to a slow simmer, turn off heat, and let curds and whey separate (Hey Miss Muffit!) . No stirring! Just let it hang out and do it’s thing. Grab a strainer, and a deep pot. Line the strainer with cheesecloth, and set it over the pot. Gently ladle in the curds, and let the water drain through. The longer the curds sets and drains over the pot, the firmer your ricotta will be. I like a firm ricotta, so I just let it set there while I’m pulling together the tomato salad. Speaking of..... Tomato Salad for Tartines: Grab a fresh heirloom tomato, and slice thinly, and set aside. Next, halve a handful of cherry tomatoes. Toss the cherry tomatoes with a pinch of ITK’s “Cook’s Line” seasoning, and a big splash of ITK’s “Garlic&Green”. Add a few pinches of fresh lemon zest. The lemon zest really lifts it! Taste and adjust seasoning to your liking. Build: Find a nice loaf of rustic bread... better yet, bake one... but some may prefer to find one. Slice into relatively thick pieces, and either toast or grill. While still warm, butter the top side generously with your creamy ricotta. To the edges! I say... every bite counts! So bring the ricotta to all sides of the toast. Shingle (overlap slices) of the sliced tomatoes...about three slices should do it. Top with the cherry tomato salad. Drizzle with a little fruity olive oil or even more Garlic&Green. Garnish with fresh basil, and serve right away. Don’t wait too long or it will get soggy. These are great as a simple lunch, or for any brunch. Knock out a Vegetable Frittata for brunch, and serve these babies along side. You be a hit! Hope you enjoy!!
Posted on: Mon, 08 Sep 2014 22:11:05 +0000
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