Ricotta with Honey Roasted Tomatoes Bruschetta

MAKES 12 BRUSCHETTA • Crisp bruschetta topped with savory, fresh ricotta and just enough honey to make the roasted tomatoes pop with avor.

INGREDIENTS

RICOTTA

• 6 cups whole milk
• 2 cup heavy cream
• 1 tsp. coarse sea salt
• 6 Tbsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice

HONEY ROASTED TOMATOES

• 2 pints cherry or grape tomatoes, halved lengthwise
• 1 1/2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 Tbsp. clover honey
• 2 tsp. thyme leaves
• 1 tsp. kosher salt
• 1/8 tsp. freshly ground pepper
• 12 baguette slices, cut 1/2 inch thick on the bias
• 1 Tbsp. buckwheat honey
• 6 basil leaves, julienned or torn

DIRECTIONS

RICOTTA

Pour the milk, cream and salt into a 3-quart nonreactive saucepan. Attach a candy or deep-fry thermometer. Heat the milk to 190°F, stirring it occasionally to keep it from scorching on the bottom. Remove from heat and add the lemon juice, then stir it once or twice, gently and slowly. Let the pot sit undisturbed for 5 minutes.

Line a colander with a few layers of cheesecloth and place it over a large bowl (to catch the whey). Pour the curds and whey into the colander and let the curds strain for at least an hour. At an hour, you’ll have a tender, spreadable ricotta. At two hours, it will be spreadable but a bit rmer, almost like cream cheese. (It will rm as it cools, so do not judge its nal texture by what you have in your cheesecloth.) Eat the ricotta right away or transfer it to an airtight container and refrigerate until ready to use.

Inspired by Salvatore Ricotta, via Tasting Table

HONEY ROASTED TOMATOES

Preheat the oven to 300°F. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. In a large bowl, toss the tomatoes with the olive oil, honey, thyme leaves, salt and pepper. Scrape the tomatoes onto the prepared baking sheet and turn them cut side up. Bake the tomatoes for about 1 hour and 25 minutes, until they begin to shrivel and brown.

Let cool.