Ingredients:
3 ounces best-quality ricotta (about 1/3 cup), drained, 2-3 small
ripe figs, Honey or sugar to taste, optional, 1 large slice
country bread, Unsalted butter, optional, 1 fig, thinly sliced,
for garnish, and a few mint leaves. Ingredients:
3 ounces best-quality ricotta (about 1/3 cup), drained, 2-3 small
ripe figs, Honey or sugar to taste, optional, 1 large slice
country bread, Unsalted butter, optional, 1 fig, thinly sliced,
for garnish, and a few mint leaves.My mother's fig tree is my source for the sweetest figs imaginable. Picked when they are fully ripe, their flesh is like jam, as sweet as if they had been drenched in honey.
Combined with fresh ricotta, figs make an inspired bruschetta spread, with the fruit supplying all the sweetness. If the figs are less than perfectly ripe, add a little sugar or honey as needed.
This makes a lovely breakfast to eat in a summer garden along with a big cup of strong cappuccino or a glass of fresh orange juice.
Wrap the ricotta in 4 or 5 layers of cheesecloth to absorb excess moisture. Set aside in a colander for at least 30 minutes. Stem and peel the figs. Mash them well with a fork. Remove the ricotta from the cheesecloth and combine with the figs. Mix together until you have a rough puree; a little roughness is part of its charm. Add some honey or sugar if needed. Lighly toast the bread. If desired, spread a small amount of butter on the hot bread. Top with the fig-ricotta spread. Layer fig slices over the ricotta. Sprinkle with mint, tearing each leaf into 2 or 3 pieces.
Makes 1 bruschetta.