These crostini with tomato jam and ricotta are a delicious and impressive appetizer especially at summer's end when ripe tomatoes are abundant.
The Story Behind Crostini with Tomato Jam and Ricotta
Once you have made the Heirloom Tomato Jam and Fresh Ricotta, these crostini are a cinch to put together. This is a delicious and impressive appetizer especially at summer's end when ripe tomatoes are abundant.
Did you know there are over 175 different varieties of tomato? So try and use a colorful tomato to top these crostini off. These little green cherry tomatoes had a great acid, which paired beautifully with the sweeter tomato jam and ricotta. It also makes for a great presentation!
"You eat with your eyes and your mouth"
When buying the bread, a regular, not sourdough, a baguette is best. Slice the bread on the bias to give it maximum spread room; then put them into a 325° oven for about 10 - 15 minutes, turning them once, until they are crisp and just beginning to brown. You don't want the bread to be too dark - but you do want it crisp.
Make these Crostini with Tomato Jam and Homemade Ricotta at the last possible minute so the bread doesn't get soggy. We don't like soggy bread.
Not at all.
If you don't want to make the homemade ricotta, well, I understand. But since it's such a big part of this total bite, be sure to buy a good, quality, ricotta. Not that Precious stuff they sell in the grocery stores cold case, but a good one. One that tastes of sweet cream, not grainy nothing. Or you could substitute a Buratta cheese.
I served these at a little backyard cocktail party (well, we were really drinking wine, but a wino party doesn't sound quite as lovely as a cocktail party) and they were gone, Binga, Banga, Boom! And they paired nicely with the crisp Sauvignon Blanc I was serving.
Crostini with Tomato Jam and Ricotta
Ingredients
- 1 recipe Heirloom Tomato Jam
- 1 recipe Fresh Homemade Ricotta
- 12 slices about ¼ inch thick of good baguette (not sourdough) lightly toasted in the oven
- 12 cherry tomatoes halved I used green cherry tomatoes for their slight tartness, which played nicely with the sweet tomato jam and ricotta
- Freshly ground pepper
- Coarse salt
- Aged balsamic vinegar (optional)
Instructions
- Spread a thin layer of the tomato jam; give it a little twist of fresh ground pepper, then add the tomato half. Put a few grains of the salt on top and then just a drop of the balsamic, if using. Serve at room temperature. (Make close to serving so they don’t get soggy).
- To cook the Crostini: Slice the baguette on the bias to give it maximum spread room; then put them into a 325° oven for about 10 – 15 minutes, turning them once, until they are crisp and just beginning to brown. You don’t want the bread to be too dark – but you do want it crisp.
Elle says
Never heard of tomato jam Linda, it sounds intriguing. And these look so delicious I might just ignore any food allergies make them for everyone else and eat one!
Cher says
I never thought to make tomato jam... I bet it is delicious! You are right - store bought ricotta is really grainy!
LindySez says
Yep, you can find good ones, but you have to go to a store that sells more upscale cheeses and find an artesian produced one and pay $$. That's why making it is a great, if you have the time.