These sweet and creamy crostini are full of flavor and texture and are the perfect start to any meal. The crostini are crunchy and warm, and the fresh figs are softly nestled into dollops of pillow-y ricotta cheese. These are sure to be a crowd pleaser at any party.
T he best advice I could give anyone about preparing a plate that involves ricotta cheese is to drain the excess water out of the ricotta by placing it in a strainer over a bowl, and letting it sit for 30 minutes to an hour. The best ricotta is the kind that comes in a cylindrical container with a dome of ricotta on the top, covered in plastic wrap and secured with a rubber band – different than the kinds you see typically sold in grocery stores. It has more texture and a smoother flavor. However, that’s not always available – so the best way to achieve that less watery texture is to drain your ricotta so that the excess water is eliminated. I promise you, it will make such a difference in the texture of your finished crostini.
This antipasta is easily assembled a few minutes before your guests arrive and is best served warm. I hope you enjoy it as much as we did in our home – buon appetito!
Ricotta and Fresh Fig Crostini
Ingredients
- 1 French baguette
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1.5 cups whole milk ricotta cheese
- 8-10 fresh figs
- Honey, for drizzling.
Directions
- Place ricotta cheese in a strainer and place over a large bowl. Allow the ricotta to drain to eradicate excess water in the cheese for 30 minutes to 1 hour.
- Preheat your oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Slice the baguette into 1/2 inch thick slices, on a bias and place on a baking sheet. Brush both sides of each slide with olive oil.
- Bake the bread for about 8-9 minutes, flipping the bread over halfway though. The bread is ready when it has a golden, toasted hue.
- Prepared the fresh figs by gentling washing them and cutting them in half of in quarters, depending on their size.
- Top the crostini with a heaping tablespoon of ricotta cheese, and spread the cheese to the edges of the bread. Place one or two slices of fig atop each crostini.
- Drizzle honey over each crostini immediately before serving. Enjoy warm.
