Roasted Cherry Tomato Bruschetta with Basil and Ricotta

Roasted Cherry Tomato Bruschetta with Basil and Ricotta

The Best of Summer includes sweet Cherry Tomatoes, fresh Basil, and of course, our Fresh Di Oliva Extra Virgin Olive Oil!

Ingredients:

1 loaf of good quality crusty Italian or French Bread
2 cups fresh, good quality ricotta cheese
1/2 cup Di Oliva Extra Virgin Olive Oil such as our Picual, Coratina or Frantoio would go well here
1/4 cup Di Oliva Tuscan Herb or Di Oliva Garlic Extra Virgin Olive Oil
3 cups sweet cherry tomatoes
1 cup packed fresh basil leaves
3 large garlic cloves
1 cup of good quality sun dried tomatoes in oil, drained well
1 teaspoon of sea salt
fresh cracked pepper to taste

Preheat the grill, BBQ or oven to 425 F.

Toss the cherry tomatoes with 1/4 cup of Di Oliva Extra Virgin Olive Oil, a teaspoon of salt, and pepper to taste. Roast the cherry tomatoes in a cast iron skillet for 15 minutes until blistered and fragrant. Set aside to cool.

In a medium bowl, whisk the ricotta with 1 teaspoon salt and set aside.

Slice the bread into 1" thick slices, drizzle the slices with 1/4 cup of Di Oliva Extra Virgin Olive Oil and grill over high heat, on the BBQ or an indoor cast iron grill until golden, about 5 minutes per side. Using two of the garlic cloves, rub each side of the still warm grilled bread. Set aside.

Sun-dried tomato and basil pesto:

In the bowl of a food processor or blender, add the sun-dried tomatoes, 1/2 cup of fresh basil, 1 garlic clove, 1/4 cup Di Oliva Extra Virgin Tuscan Herb or Di Oliva Extra Virgin Garlic Olive Oil and process to a paste consistency.

For assembly:

Spread 1 tablespoon sun-dried tomato pesto on one side of each slice of the grilled bread. Top by spreading a tablespoon of ricotta. Then place 2 or 3 of the roasted cherry tomatoes over the ricotta layer, and then add a basil leaf between each tomato (if you're feeling fancy). Otherwise just sprinkle the bruschetta with torn basil leaves.

Finish each bruschetta with additional sea salt, fresh ground pepper, and a drizzle of Di Oliva Extra Virgin or a Di Oliva infused olive oil of your choice. Serve immediately. Enjoy!!