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Tomato Ricotta Toast with Basil

Ricotta cheese gets a flavor boost with bright basil while tomatoes, cooked till they burst, add a juicy dimension to this Tomato Ricotta Toast with Basil.

Tomato Ricotta Toast with Basil shown on a white plate over a turquoise napkin.

There was a point when I was writing my latest cookbook where I said, “this one is my favorite yet.” And it’s true. Developing recipes that are both easy and budget-friendly was a fresh challenge for me that pushed me to really think about the ingredients used and their value in the recipes.

It also pushed me to think about how ingredients can be manipulated for different results. This recipe is a good example of that. Bread, ricotta, basil, tomatoes — those are the basics of it. But it’s the preparation that achieves the desired results.

Normally bland ricotta gets a big boost of flavor with bright basil. And the tomatoes, cooked just till they burst, add a juicy dimension to the dish.

You toast the bread because toasted bread holds up better to the ingredients. Plus the crunch of toast is a nice contrast to the soft ricotta and juicy tomatoes.

Forget avocado toast (and it’s budget-killing reputation). Skip the peanut butter toast and egg toast too. No, you want to try this flavorful, easy Tomato Ricotta Toast with Basil.

This recipe comes from the snacks section of my newest cookbook, Easy Frugal Cookbook. You’ll love this book full of 100 recipes with 10 ingredients or less created with budgets in mind. In fact, all of the recipes serve 4 and come with an easy key indicating which ones can be made for around $5, $10 or $15.

Easy Frugal Cookbook will be released by Rockridge Press on July 7, but you can preorder your copy now. And friends, preordering helps so much because it signals to the internet gods that people are interested in this book — leading to even more orders. 

Tomato Ricotta Toast with Basil

Tomato Ricotta Toast with Basil

Yield: 4 servings
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes

Forget avocado toast (and it’s budget-killing reputation). Skip the
peanut butter toast and egg toast too. No, you want to try this flavorful, easy
Tomato Ricotta Toast with Basil. Normally bland ricotta gets a big boost of
flavor with bright basil. And the tomatoes, cooked just till they burst, add a
juicy dimension to the dish.

Ingredients

  • 4 slices white bread
  • ¼ cup ricotta cheese
  • 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh basil
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon pepper
  • Pinch crushed red pepper
  • 1 teaspoon olive oil
  • 1 cup cherry tomatoes

Instructions

  1. Toast the bread. While it's toasting, stir together the ricotta cheese, basil, salt, pepper and crushed red pepper. Set aside.
  2. In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the tomatoes and cook, shaking the pan occasionally, until the tomatoes burst - about 8-10 minutes.
  3. Spread the ricotta mixture on the toast, dividing it evenly among the slices.
  4. With the prongs of a fork, crush the tomatoes. Spoon the tomato mixture over the bread slices, dividing evenly among them. Enjoy immediately.

    

Notes

The best bread for a dish like this is the loaf you have. Rye, sourdough,
wheat or Italian are among the breads that can be substituted into this dish.

Kate

Monday 8th of June 2020

Love this! I've been making similar toasts with labneh.

Sarah Walker Caron

Monday 8th of June 2020

YUM!

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