Even though it is not yet summer – I can’t help but feel in a summery mood. My belief is that if you think hard enough and act as if it is summer, then the good weather should arrive shortly. I have always been in love with ricotta, though oddly enough I have never shared a recipe that includes it! I figured the perfect way to blend my sudden desire to make carrot puree into a meal would be to serve it with whipped ricotta over crostini!
Nothing reminds me more of summer than the idea of picnics, bottles of lemonade and some good old finger food. In this case, however, the finger food I am sharing with you is a bit more elevated (though there is nothing wrong with bags of chips and sandwiches!). Today’s recipe – whipped ricotta crostini with carrot puree is inspired by a restaurant I went to for my birthday. I had braised beef with carrots served three ways, of which the carrot puree was one form. The carrots were creamy and sweet and balanced the savoury braised beef perfectly.
Elevated Appetizer
Despite how daunting the idea of whipped ricotta with carrot puree may sound – do not let it worry you. It is actually quite easy to make. There are not many ingredients or tools involved, and you can easily make everything in one bowl. However, because of how ingredient frugal the recipe is – it is important to use quality ingredients. I cannot stress this enough – if you must choose one item to splurge on use the highest quality ricotta you can. In Canada – the supermarkets tend to carry pretty great brands, however if you are in London I suggest going to the nearest farmers market or cheese market to select their ricotta. Although on the pricier side, a quality ricotta will elevate the overall flavour of the appetizer. Speaking of which – this can be an appetizer and it also can easily be a light meal (served with a glass of crisp sauvignon blanc, some lemonade or some iced tea!).
Finally – a quick note on flavours. The whipped ricotta is supposed to be savoury. The focus is on the milky/salty flavour of the cheese that is complemented by flecks of thyme and garlic. The carrot puree offers that subtle sweetness to the whipped ricotta so that you have a good balance of both sweet and savoury. You can – if you’re feeling fancy, drizzle some honey overtop if you prefer the dish to be a bit sweeter!
Whipped Ricotta & Carrot Puree Crostini
creamy. sweet. crostini.
I teamed up with The Wonder Forest to create a recipe that inspires images and sentiments of summer. If you’re interested in knowing how to make my whipped ricotta crostini, click on this link here.
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I ABSOLUTELY LOVE HOW THIS TURNED OUT. THIS IS THE PERFECT SHARING TAPAS FOR ANY OCCASION. WITH THE WARMER WEATHER ARRIVING SOON (FINGERS CROSSED) THIS IS A GREAT DISH TO SERVE FOR THOSE OUTDOOR GET TOGETHERS. IF YOU’RE LOOKING FOR DESSERT TO COMPLEMENT THIS DISH CHECK OUT MY STRAWBERRY MASCARPONE TART!
