Learn to make Alex Guarnaschelli's ricotta and tomato crostini with marinated cucumbers
Food Network star and celebrity chef Alex Guarnaschelli dropped by "GMA3" recently to share a delicious recipe for a tomato and ricotta crostini with marinated cucumbers.
Scroll below to check it out and try it at home in your own kitchen.
Ricotta and Tomato Crostini
Ingredients
1 pint medium cherry tomatoes, halved
1 large ripe beefsteak tomato, coarsely diced
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
3 large garlic cloves, cut into thin slices
1 tablespoon honey
Maldon flaky sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
15-ounce container whole milk ricotta cheese or homemade (recipe to follow)
8 thick slices sourdough bread, toasted
1/2 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese
Directions
Marinate the tomatoes: In a medium bowl, toss the cherry and beefsteak tomatoes with the balsamic vinegar, olive oil, garlic, honey, a generous pinch of salt and some pepper. Marinate at room temperature for 30 minutes or up to 4 hours.
Assemble: Spread about 1 tablespoon of the ricotta over each slice of toasted bread and season with a pinch of salt. Spoon some of the tomato mix over the ricotta and finish with a generous sprinkle of Parmesan. Spoon extra vinegar from the bottom of the bowl onto the bread.
Homemade Ricotta
Ingredients
1 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup whole milk
1/2 cup full-fat buttermilk
Directions
Cook: In a medium pot, bring the cream, milk and buttermilk to a soft simmer over medium heat. Simmer gently for a few minutes, until the milk solids rise to the surface and form what looks like a raft. Turn off the heat and allow the milk to rest and cool on the stove, 25 to 30 minutes.
Drain: Line a strainer with a few layers of cheesecloth. Use a large slotted spoon to scoop the solids from the surface into the strainer. Pour the liquid gently over the solids in the strainer, allowing the liquid to flow through the strainer and trapping the solids in the cheesecloth. (The liquid is the whey and can be used to thicken soups or as a substitute for water in bread dough, among other things.)
Refrigerate the ricotta for a few hours to allow all the liquid to drain and so it firms up slightly. Transfer to an airtight container and store in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.
Ava's Marinated Cucumbers
Ingredients
2 tablespoons flaky sea salt, such as Maldon
2 tablespoons white sesame seeds
4 large garlic cloves, thinly sliced crosswise
3/4 cup rice wine vinegar
2 tablespoons honey
1 tablespoon fish sauce
1/4 teaspoon dried red pepper flakes
2 English cucumbers peeled, or 8 Persian cucumbers, unpeeled, cut into 1/2-inch rounds
Directions
In a large bowl, combine the salt, sesame seeds and garlic with the vinegar, honey, fish sauce and red pepper flakes. Taste for seasoning, add the cucumbers, and transfer to an airtight container. Marinate for at least 2 hours and up to 3 days before serving. Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.
