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This broiled ricotta toast layers warm ricotta cheese with sauteed bell peppers, sticky balsamic walnuts, and a punchy lemon caper olive oil for an appetizer that hits salty, sweet, tangy, and crunchy all at once.
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Watch how to make this
What makes this dish special
When people find out that I'm a professional chef, I almost always get asked, "What's your speciality?" Since I like to cook a variety of cuisines, I always answer, "I don't have one, but I love baking bread." Bread is one of those items that never ceases to amaze me because of all the variables and science behind it. But when you do make a great loaf, it's incredibly satisfying.
One of the best parts about making fresh bread is turning that bread into toast. Smear some butter and jam or turn it into a savory toast, and it'll all be good. This broiled ricotta toast doesn't necessarily need fresh homemade bread, but it sure adds that extra touch. Luckily, the charred ricotta, lemon caper olive oil, balsamic walnuts, and sauteed bell peppers add so much flavor that you can get away with regular store-bought bread. It's just oh so good.
Recipe
Broiled Ricotta Toast
Ingredients
Balsamic walnuts
- ½ cup walnuts raw
- 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- pinch of salt
Lemon caper olive oil
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- zest of ½ lemon
- 1 tablespoon capers
- 2 tablespoons fresh chopped parsley
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
Sauteed bell peppers
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 large red bell pepper sliced
- salt and pepper
Ricotta
- 1 cup whole-milk ricotta
- ¼ cup grated parmesan
- 1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
- salt and pepper
Remaining ingredients
- 6 slices crusty bread toasted
Instructions
- Prepare the balsamic walnuts. Combine walnuts with balsamic vinegar, brown sugar, and a pinch of salt in a medium saucepan. Bring to a simmer over medium heat and continue to cook until all the liquid has evaporated. Spread the walnuts on parchment paper and let cool completely. Roughly chop walnuts.
- Make the lemon caper olive oil. Heat olive oil over medium heat. Add minced garlic and lemon zest and saute for 30 seconds. Turn off the heat and add parsley, and capers, stirring to combine. Let the oil cool slightly and add juice.
- Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a saute pan over medium heat. Add the sliced bell pepper and saute until softened and browned, about 4-5 minutes. Remove from heat.
- Preheat the broiler to high.
- Season the ricotta with parmesan, thyme, salt, and pepper. Spread the ricotta on 6 slices of toasted bread and place the bread on a baking sheet. Broil the toast for 5-6 minutes or until the ricotta is slightly charred and browned.
- Top the ricotta toast with the sauteed bell peppers, balsamic walnuts, and lemon caper olive oil. Serve warm.
Notes
Step-by-step instructions
Step 1: Make toppings
This broiled ricotta toast came to me because I had extra ricotta I needed to use up. I love burrata on bread, like on this Brussels sprouts and burrata crostini, but ricotta is a close second. So why not use the creamy cheese as the base and load up on the toppings?
To elevate this toast, we're going to make candied balsamic walnuts, lemon caper olive oil, and sauteed bell peppers.
To make the walnuts, add them to a pan along with balsamic vinegar, brown sugar, and a pinch of salt to make the balsamic walnuts. Bring the liquid to a simmer and continue to cook until all of the liquid has evaporated, stirring frequently.
Immediately transfer the nuts to parchment paper and let them cool completely.
For the drizzling oil, heat olive oil with garlic and lemon zest just until the garlic becomes aromatic, about 30 seconds. Remove the pan from the heat and add parsley and capers, stirring to combine.
Let the oil cool slightly, then add lemon juice for brightness.
For the bell pepper, we're keeping it simple and sauteing it with just salt and pepper.
It may seem like a lot of steps, but each component is pretty easy to prepare, so I urge you to make each topping!
Step 2: Prepare toasts
Now that the toppings are ready, let's move on to the ricotta.
To add extra flavor, season whole-fat ricotta with parmesan, fresh thyme, salt, and pepper. I recommend using whole-fat ricotta because low-fat ricotta has excess moisture.
If you end up using low-fat ricotta, you might want to strain the cheese beforehand to remove excess liquid. Just dump the ricotta into a fine-mesh sieve or cheesecloth and let it sit for 30 minutes or overnight.
Then, spread the cheese on toasted bread. I used a French loaf, but you can use sourdough or any other sturdy bread.
Lay the toasts on a baking sheet and broil until slightly charred. Depending on the strength of your broiler, this can take anywhere from 4 to 7 minutes.
Top the broiled ricotta toast with all of the toppings and serve warm. You can enjoy this as an appetizer or side dish. Either way, they will be gone in seconds because they are just that good. Another toast recipe going in the archive!
For more recipes featuring ricotta, check out this whipped ricotta pasta with asparagus and pancetta and fried ricotta with spicy marinara!
Make-ahead and storage
- Make-ahead: You can prepare all the toppings, including the balsamic walnuts, seasoned ricotta, lemon caper oil, and charred bell peppers, the day before.
- Store: Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the refridgerator for up to 2 days.
More savory toast recipes
Looking for more toast ideas? Try these:
Work with me
All images shot and styled by Christine Ma. Available for food photography, styling, and recipe development.
Penny says
This toast was so good! I loved the ricotta that gets a little char and those walnuts are really tasty.
Christine Ma says
Wonderful, so happy to hear you enjoyed it!