Roasted Cherry Tomato Crostini with Ricotta

This week has flown by and I’ve failed to share all the recipes I have on tap to share! I’ll pick up the speed as we coast into the weekend.

A couple weeks ago a splurged on a new cookbook – Franny’s Simple Seasonal Italian. It is full of gorgeous photos and has some new recipes I’m dying to try. This recipe for roasted cherry tomatoes was irresistible because it was so beautiful and we are now on the tail-end of tomato season. While this was simple – it is seriously time consuming. Roasting the tomatoes alone takes more than three hours. This long process basically melts the insides of the tomatoes while keeping them whole. They turn out very sweet and will burst open as you bite into them. Worth the time!

Try this recipe while tomatoes are still prime!

Roasted Cherry Tomato Crostini with Ricotta from Franny’s: Simple Seasonal Italian

4 cups assorted cherry tomatoes
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
¼ teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
Four ¾-inch-thick slices country-style bread
1 fat garlic clove
¼ cup fresh ricotta
Freshly cracked black pepper
8 basil leaves

With a rack in the middle, preheat the oven to 250°F. Toss the tomatoes with the olive oil and salt. Spread out on a small baking sheet; the tomatoes should just fit on the baking sheet, without crowding. Roast for 2 hours.

Reduce the heat to 200°F and roast the tomatoes for 1 ½ hours longer, until shriveled and golden-edged. Cool the tomatoes completely on the baking sheet, then transfer, along with the oil from the pan, into a bowl.

Preheat the broiler. Drizzle one side of the bread slices with olive oil. Toast, oil side up, until golden and crisp, 1 to 2 minutes. Rub the toasted side of the bread with the garlic.

Put the ricotta in a small bowl and season generously with salt and pepper. Spread 1 tablespoon of the ricotta on each toast. Lay 2 basil leaves on each one. Mound the tomatoes on the toasts. Season with sea salt and lots of pepper. Drizzle each toast with about 1 teaspoon of the roasted tomato oil and serve.