A delicious snack or appetizer inspired by one of my favorite local restaurants!
Hey guys! I’ve got a super easy and super delicious appetizer/snack recipe for you all! I love any type of crostini, I could eat it all day, so that’s why I make a lot of them during Thanksgiving and Christmas because they’re always fun to make in bulk on little toasts. However, this time, I have an easier version that you don’t need to make in bulk at all! It’s good enough for a small batch or you can double/triple the recipe to feed as many as you need! It’s so simple, uses just a few ingredients and takes less than 15 minutes to make! My ricotta crostini is inspired by one of my favorite pizza restaurants in Jersey City called Razza. They have this ricotta crostini appetizer that is to die for! It uses locally sourced ricotta, a touch of extra virgin olive oil, and this delicious black sea salt that I had never tried before until I ate this. I also always ask for a side of chili oil, hence, why I included it in my recipe, but it’s totally optional!
I know this recipe seems super simple, but I promise you, less is more in this recipe. You don’t need 50 different ingredients to achieve the taste of this, but I do recommend using a good bread. It won’t be the same if you use regular loaf or sliced bread, you’re going to want to get some sort of rustic or artisan or crusty bread that has a nice texture to it. Sourdough is a great option too if you can’t find rustic bread. The crisp and crunch that you get from this type of bread after grilling it is what is really going to enhance the flavor and help you get to the right taste and texture needed.
Here’s a few tips and recommendations to help ensure you make the best ricotta crostini ever:
- Use cow’s milk ricotta cheese if you can find it, otherwise, any ricotta will do, just make sure to fluff it with a fork so it can get some texture to it
- Please make sure you use a good quality extra virgin olive oil, it really does make a difference in the taste. I used Cobram Estate California Select Extra Virgin Olive Oil . This is my absolute favorite olive oil to use because it is so flavorful and really takes your dish to the next level
- Make sure you use black sea salt, also known as black lava salt. It has a more in depth flavor profile vs. regular sea salt and it just makes this whole thing better. I used this Black Lava Sea Salt from My Fabulous Food
- If you want to put chili oil on top, like I did, you can totally use homemade or store bought. I didn’t have a batch of homemade chili oil at home when I made this so I used the Whole Foods Calabrian Chili Oil but any chili oil of your choice will work
I hope you guys give this one a try because it’s honestly so worth it! Whether you’re hungry and want a restaurant quality snack or if you’e entertaining and want a fancy looking appetizer that doesn’t take too long to make, this is the perfect fix! Happy eating, folks!
Ricotta Crostini
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup ricotta cheese
- 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil plus extra for drizzle
- 1 tsp black sea salt
- 1 clove garlic cut in half
- 2 slices rustic or crusty bread like sourdough
- 1 tbsp chili oil for drizzle optional
Instructions
- Take your two slices of bread and lightly toast on a stovetop grill or in the oven until you achieve grill marks or until crunchy
- In the meanwhile, take your ricotta in a bowl and fluff with a fork so it becomes a little chunky rather than smooth and gently fold in 1 tbsp of olive oil
- Once the bread is toasted and ready, take your half garlic clove and rub it on the slice of bread until it is coated with the scent of garlic, then spoon half of your ricotta mixture on to your toast
- Sprinkle on the black sea salt and and drizzle on the olive oil and chili oil and serve warm!
Notes
- See blog post for specific products used
