Spread Ricotta Whipped

Unbalanced

% Daily Values based on a 2,000 calorie diet

Step 1

Place the ricotta in a bowl and drizzle with the olive oil and 2 teaspoons of the milk (or cream or half and half). Season with salt and pepper. Using a rubber spatula, beat the ricotta until creamy and smooth. The ricotta should be thick but easily spreadable. If you think it’s too thick, stir in another teaspoon of milk.

Step 2

There are two ways to serve the crostini. You can place the ricotta in a serving bowl, drizzle it with olive oil, and serve it with the toasts and toppings alongside for guests to build their own crostini. Or, you can spread the ricotta generously over the toasts, top them as desired, and then arrange the crostini on a platter and serve.

Step 3

Note: The ricotta can sit at room temperature for up to an hour, or it can be refrigerated for up to 2 days. Bring it to room temperature before serving.

Step 4

Note: Use the best quality ricotta you can find—the only ingredients listed should be milk (and/or whey), salt and vinegar. You can find the ultra good stuff (which you will want to eat with a spoon) at Italian markets and specialty cheese stores, but some solid supermarket brands include Organic Valley, Calabro and Biazzo. Be sure to avoid anything with stabilizers or gums in the ingredient list.

Step 5

Kris' Note: This is a perfect base for crostini and the toppings are limitless. Topping ideas include, roasted delicata squash with maple syrup and sea salt, roasted mushrooms with parmesan and truffle oil, slow roasted peppers and onions, hard boiled eggs with chives, cucumbers with mint and dill, strawberries with balsamic, olive oil and sea salt, radish with sea salt, smoked salmon with dill, tomatoes with basil pesto, peaches with prosciutto and honey, peas with mint, balsamic mushrooms with thyme and sea salt.