Honey Ricotta, Fig, and Hazelnut Toast
This one started out as just a spontaneous lunch, inspired by a fresh package of California black figs, a long-forgotten container of ricotta, and a few slices of bread from a local bakery. I'd gone to the market the day before, searching for some fresh figs so I could finally use the ricotta for this recipe. No luck, no figs, and the blazing California sun was another reminder that autumn is still a little ways away.
Honey ricotta, hazelnuts, and fresh figs
To my surprise, my mom came home with a package of beautiful, ripe figs that night. Unknowingly, she had completed the recipe and what would become my afternoon's work the next day. A bit of a mishmash of ingredients that, when put together, make a deliciously simple afternoon bite. Whether it be an addition to a brunch menu, or an impromptu Wednesday lunch, this Honey Ricotta, Fig, and Hazelnut Toast is quite the treat!
honey ricotta, fresh figs, roasted hazelnuts
Start off with a loaf of your favorite bread with a good crust. I dug out an old grill-marked cast iron pan to crisp the bread, but a regular pan or the good ol' toaster works just as well.
Whisk together the ricotta, thyme, lemon zest, and honey, until creamy and smooth. I used the zest from a Meyer lemon, for some extra sweetness. Arrange the fig slices in any way you please, and sprinkle with pieces of hazelnuts to finish!
Slightly sweet honey ricotta, mixed with fresh lemon zest and thyme. A bit of crunch from the hazelnuts, a hearty piece of toasted bread, all topped off with slices of fig. It's a sweet and savory toast, full of fresh fruit, herbs, and creamy ricotta. Earthy, hearty, and a reminder that summer will soon slip into autumn...
Hopefully.
Honey, Ricotta, Fig and Hazelnut Toast
ingredients
8 small figs, quartered
4 slices of sourdough or rustic bread, sliced thick
⅓ cup hazelnuts, coarsely chopped
1 cup ricotta
1 tablespoon honey
2 teaspoon fresh thyme, finely chopped
zest of 1 lemon
method
Stir together the ricotta, honey, thyme, and lemon zest.
Note: Some ricotta has a larger curd, depending on the brand. If that is the case, pulse a few times in a food processor until smooth and creamy.
Toast the sliced bread in a pan or stovetop grill, until crunchy and browned.
Spread a generous layer of the ricotta mixture on the toasted bread. Top with the slices of fig, about 8 pieces per slice, and sprinkle the roasted hazelnuts on top.
Serve immediately.