Goodbye Summer
I cannot believe that it’s September! When September rolls around, I think we can all agree that it’s basically fall. I know that the summer doesn’t actually end until September 22nd and that the weather here won’t change much, but summer might as well be over. It’s crazy that this will be the first September I won’t be going back to school in 15 years. I’m kind of excited to see how the months will play out as I live my life as a free woman. So as a toast to the final weeks of summer, I present my last summer recipe of 2020: Whipped Feta and Ricotta Crostini with Roasted Tomatoes.
Full Circle
I really feel like I’ve come full circle — I started my blog in the summer of 2019 with a Grilled Peach and Prosciutto Crostini and now I’m ending the summer of 2020 with this Whipped Feta and Ricotta Crostini with Roasted Tomatoes. This makes for a delicious appetizer to celebrate the last few weeks of summer!
Our vehicle of choice is a french baguette. These slices are lightly toasted so that you get a crunch on the outside and a chew on the inside. The toasted bread is then topped with a mixture of feta and ricotta. When the cheeses are blended together in the food processor, it creates the best smooth and creamy mixture. This mixture is topped with cherry tomatoes that’ve been roasted in the oven with garlic and thyme. The tomatoes burst and develop an almost jammy consistency. A sweet and tangy balsamic glaze is drizzled on top and it’s finished with a sprinkling of basil.
These Whipped Feta and Ricotta Crostini with Roasted Tomatoes are a flavor and texture dream. You have the crunch and chew from the bread, the salty and creamy cheese mix, the juicy tomatoes, the sweet and tangy balsamic glaze, and the herbaceousness of the fresh basil. All the flavors and textures come together to create one of the most delicious appetizers!
A Final Farewell
If you’re upset that summer is about to be over, give it one last hurrah with these Whipped Feta and Ricotta Crostini with Roasted Tomatoes! While I’m sad to see the summer go, I’m absolutely pumped for the upcoming holiday season! Finger crossed that our world can get its shit together by then so that we can actually celebrate these holidays. Anyway, I’m ready to bring back some spice into my life this fall so stay tuned for upcoming deliciousness. Thanks for joining me today, and I’ll catch you in my next post!
Whipped Feta and Ricotta Crostini with Roasted Tomatoes
Ingredients
For the Roasted Tomatoes
- 3 cups Cherry Tomatoes
- 2 Garlic Cloves (minced)
- 2 tsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 1/8 tsp Granulated Sugar
- 1 1/2 tsp Fresh Thyme (chopped)
- 1/4 tsp Red Pepper Flakes
- 1/4 tsp Kosher Salt
- 1/8 tsp Ground Black Pepper
For the Whipped Feta and Ricotta
- 4.5 oz Crumbled Feta
- 3/4 cup Ricotta
- 1 1/2 tbsp Milk
- 1 Garlic Clove (roughly chopped)
- 1 tbsp Lemon Juice
- 1/2 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 1/4 tsp Kosher Salt
- Pinch of Ground Black Pepper
- Pinch of Red Pepper Flakes
For the Crostini
- 1 French Baguette
- 2-3 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- As Needed Balsamic Glaze
- As Needed Chopped Basil Leaves (for garnish)
Instructions
For the Roasted Tomatoes
- Preheat the oven to 400˚F. Line a sheet tray with aluminum foil.
- In a medium sized bowl, add the cherry tomatoes, garlic, olive oil, sugar, thyme, red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper. Toss the ingredients together until they are evenly coated then pour it on to the sheet tray. Arrange the tomatoes into a single layer and bake for 20-25 minutes until the tomatoes begin to burst and become wrinkly. Remove the tomatoes from the oven and allow them to cool completely.
For the Whipped Feta and Ricotta
- Place the feta, ricotta, milk, garlic, lemon juice, olive oil, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes into a food processor. Blend until the mixture is smooth and creamy. Pour the mixture into a bowl and set it aside in the fridge until ready to use.
For the Crostini
- Preheat the oven to 400˚F. Line a sheet tray with aluminum foil.
- Cut the baguette on a bias into 1/2 inch slices. Arrange the slices in a single layer onto the sheet tray. Lightly drizzle the tops with olive oil. Bake for about 5-8 minutes until the bread is toasted and lightly golden brown. Remove the bread from the oven and allow them to cool for about 2-3 minutes before assembling.
- To assemble to crostini, place a scoop of the whipped feta and ricotta mixture onto the bread and spread. Then place 2-3 cherry tomatoes on top of the cheese mixture. Drizzle the crostini with the balsamic glaze then sprinkle the chopped basil on top. Enjoy!
Absolutely fabulous! I made this for our late Ferragosto party and it was an enormous hit. Tremendous combination of flavors. The roasted tomatoes were just perfect on top of a nice rich and creamy cheese spread. The only thing I did for time constraints was to grill my bread slices spritzed with olive oil instead of putting them in the oven. Overall, this will be a top 3 appetizer on my list.
So glad you and everyone at the party enjoyed it! Grilling the bread is also a great idea. Appreciate you trying out this recipe and giving your feedback!
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