Cucumber, Roasted Lemon and Ricotta Crostini

For both my pregnancies I’ve craved cucumber; an unusual amount. Apparently it has something to do with cucumber helping to balance out the acid in my tummy. Who knew? Regardless, this crostini takes all things yummy and puts it on toast. Crazy simple and crazy good.

I’m going to start roasting lemon slices for everything: salsas, salads, side dishes. Okay, everything that starts with an “s” apparently. Seriously, roasting lemon slices, peel and all makes them all caramelized and soft (the peel is definitely palatable this way). They still have that bit of zest you’re looking for, but are no longer tart.

Whipping up the ricotta takes about a minute, but you get so much more in return. It smoothes out the cheese and makes it so much easier to smear. Note that I wrote smear and not spread. You really want to glob it on the crostini. It’s base to your “salad” toppings and all good salads need a solid foundation.

This quick pickle for the red onion is my go to. I often put it on salads for an extra bit of tang. It goes extremely well with cheesy items and cut through any sort of heaviness the cheese may add to the plate.

Makes 4 

Ingredients: 

4 x 1″ thick pieces of rustic bread loaf (I used a Sourdough)
1 tbsp olive oil, plus more for drizzling
1 lemon, thinly sliced
1 garlic clove, peeled and halved lengthwise
1/4 red onion, finely chopped
1/4 red wine vinegar, approx.
2 mini or Persian cucumbers,cut into 1/4″ thick slices
Salt and pepper

Optional garnishes: micro-greens, parsley, chives, cilantro

Directions:

Place red onion in a small bowl and over with vinegar. Set aside.

Preheat oven to 425° F. Place lemon slices on a baking sheet covered with parchment paper. Bake for about 20 minutes, flipping once. Remove from oven and rub with garlic halves. Let cool.

Meanwhile, drizzle both sides of bread pieces with olive oil and rub in. Place on a baking sheet and bake for 6-8 minutes per side, flipping once. Remove from oven and let cool.

In a small bowl whisk ricotta with a drizzle of olive oil, salt and pepper.

To assemble, smear a good amount of ricotta onto each piece of bread. Top with cucumber, lemon, red onion, and any desired garnishes. Drizzle with olive oil and season lightly with salt and pepper.

Enjoy!