-= Exported from BigOven =-

Sweet Ricotta And Fresh Fruit Toasts

Recipe By: Cookbook Digest, May/Jun, 1996
Serving Size: 6
Cuisine:
Main Ingredient:
Categories: Desserts

-= Ingredients =-
1 pound ricotta cheese
1/4 cup mild honey
= (like orange blossom or clover)
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
Grated zest of 1/2 lemon
A drop or 2 of vanilla extract
1 long loaf French bread (baguette)
2 tablespoon unsalted butter ; softened
Sugar ; as needed
Assorted fresh summer fruit
= (including ripe raspberries,
strawberries, peaches, and nectarines)

-= Instructions =-
In a bowl, combine the ricotta cheese, honey, lemon juice and zest, and
vanilla. Stir to blend, then cover and refrigerate.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Cut the bread on the diagonal into 10 to
12 full slices, each about 1-inch thick. Butter both sides with the soft
butter, then lay them on a large baking sheet. Sprinkle the tops with a
little sugar, then toast in the oven for 15 minutes or so, until golden
brown.

While the bread toasts, clean and/or slice the fruit and arrange it in bowls
or on a platter. Peel peaches and nectarines, but don't slice them until
the last minute. Rinse strawberries, slicing them if necessary. Don't run
water over raspberries or they'll get soggy.

To serve, bring everything to the table and let each person assemble their
own. Spread the sweetened ricotta thickly over the bread, and arrange the
fruit on top. If the fruit isn't perfectly ripe, provide a bit of sugar on
the side to sprinkle on and lemon slices to squeeze on the fruit as well.

This recipe yields 4 to 6 servings.

Comments: There's something quite fun and friendly about this, a big tray
of fresh sweet toasts, honey-sweetened ricotta cheese, and fresh summer
fruit. You just bring everything to the table on separate plates and let
everyone assemble their own open-face fruit sandwiches -- which is
essentially what these are. This is a dessert to be savored in July or
August, when the fruit is at its peak and the setting is casual. Serve with
glasses of port.

Formatted for MC7 02-02-2004 by Joe Comiskey - Mad's Recipe Emporium

Per Serving (excluding unknown items): 166 Calories; 14g Fat (73.5% calories
from fat); 9g Protein; 3g Carbohydrate; trace Dietary Fiber; 49mg
Cholesterol; 64mg Sodium. Exchanges: 1 Lean Meat; 0 Fruit; 2 Fat.


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