“The discovery of a new dish does more for the happiness of the human race than the discovery of a star.” Jean Anthelme Brillat-Savarin, “The Physiology of Taste.”
Although March 19 was officially the end of winter, the early spring season in Maine can be cruel. Bright blue skies and warming temperatures are assaulted by blustery, biting winds, temperatures dipping below freezing, snow, rain and mud. Lots of mud. For me, the warmth and aromas of the kitchen, bread baking in the oven, a soup bubbling on the stove, or apples slowly cooked into sauce, is my happy place escape.
So, when my friend Sue invited me to supper and served up these delicious Roasted Grapes on Ricotta Toasts, I was excited to try them at home.
The production of ricotta, an Italian whey cheese, has a rich and storied history, dating back to the Bronze Age, over 5000 years ago. A favorite component of several Italian desserts including cheesecakes and cannoli, ricotta is also used in savory dishes like lasagna, pizza, calzones, and ravioli. Although similar to cottage cheese, ricotta has a smoother consistency and sweeter taste.
Traditionally ricotta was made from the whey or liquid remaining from the milk of sheep, cows, goats or water buffalo used in the production of other cheeses. Literally translated as “recooked”, this whey is allowed to acidify and then is heated to near boiling, causing the denatured proteins to flocculate forming the fine curds. Once cooled, the curds are passed through a fine cloth to remove the liquid.
Commercially, large batch ricotta is readily obtainable in the supermarkets. However, we are fortunate in Maine to have a number of small cheesemakers that produce artisan ricottas, creamy white, slightly sweet with the freshest flavor, these cheeses are available at coops, health food stores, and farmers markets.
My family loves to snack on grapes, but the concept of roasting them in the oven was novel to me. The grapes are tossed with olive oil or avocado oil and a bit of honey, then roasted in a hot oven, 425 degrees, until the skins split, and the juices start to release. Roasting yields a very sophisticated grape, sweet and juicy with a beautiful deep flavor. The jam-like consistency tastes a bit like a wine flavored jam.
Roasted grapes are a tasty condiment for meats and grilled chicken, a beautiful addition to a cheeseboard, unique salad component, delectable over ice cream, and tasty on top of pizza. Combining them with a whipped ricotta on top of a crunchy toasted crostini was a heavenly new culinary sensation. Roasted Grapes on Ricotta Toasts is a morsel of spring happiness
Roasted Grapes on Ricotta Toasts
Ingredients
- 1 lb seedless grapes
- 5-6 sprigs fresh thyme plus more for serving
- 1 1/2 tbsp honey
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 cup ricotta
- 1 tbsp grated lemon zest
- 1 tbsp honey
- 6 large slices toasted crusty bread
- olive oil for brushing
Instructions
- Assemble ingredients and tools. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Strip the leaves off the fresh thyme and set aside.
- Add the grapes and thyme sprigs to a baking dish. Drizzle the olive oil and 1 ½ tablespoons of honey and stir to coat the grapes well.
- Roast for about 20 minutes, or until the grapes split and are soft and syrupy. Set them aside to cool.
- Add the ricotta, lemon zest and 1 tablespoon honey to the bowl of your food processor.
- Puree until smooth and creamy.
- Toast the bread until nice and golden brown. Brush with olive oil.
- To assemble: Spread the whipped ricotta on the toasted bread, then top with the grapes.
- Cut each slice into smaller pieces and garnish with a small thyme sprig.
