| Level: | Easy |
| Total: | 25 min |
| Prep: | 20 min |
| Cook: | 5 min |
| Yield: | 16 servings |
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups quartered cherry tomatoes
- 3 tablespoons thinly sliced shallots
- 2 1/2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
- 1/2 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
- 3/4 cup ricotta cheese
- 1/4 cup crumbled blue cheese, loosely measured
- 1/4 cup prepared basil pesto
- 3/4 teaspoon salt, divided
- 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon grated lemon peel, loosely measured
- 16 slices French or artisan type baguette, cut 1/4-inch thick on the diagonal
- 2 to 3 grinds black peppercorns (using handheld grinder)
- 3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh basil leaves
- 1/4 cup finely shredded fresh Pecorino Romano cheese, loosely measured
Instructions
- Position an oven rack 5 to 6 inches from the broiler element. Preheat the broiler to high. Line a baking sheet with heavy-duty aluminum foil.
- In a small bowl gently toss the tomatoes, shallots, 1/2 tablespoon of olive oil and vinegar together. Spread out the mixture on the prepared baking sheet. Set the baking sheet on a rack under the broiler element. Broil until the tomatoes begin to show a few black spots, about 4 minutes with oven door closed. Turn the mixture, using a spatula, and broil 3 minutes longer with the oven door closed. Remove from the oven and transfer the mixture with a slotted spoon to a small bowl; set the bowl aside until needed. Retain the broiler heat on high.
- While the tomatoes are broiling, combine the ricotta, blue cheese, pesto, 1/2 teaspoon salt, lemon juice and lemon peel in a medium bowl.
- Arrange the baguette slices on a large baking sheet and brush with the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Put the baking sheet on the rack under the broiler element and broil until golden, about 1 minute or so per side, watching carefully. Remove from oven.
- To assemble, season the tomato mixture with remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt and peppercorns, then stir in the basil. Spread some of the ricotta mixture over each crostini. Top with the tomato/onion mixture, then sprinkle with shredded cheese, dividing all the ingredients equally among the slices. Transfer to a serving plate and serve.
Nutrition Facts
| Serving Size | 1 of 16 servings |
| Calories | 98 |
| Total Fat | 6 g |
| Saturated Fat | 2 g |
| Carbohydrates | 8 g |
| Dietary Fiber | 1 g |
| Sugar | 1 g |
| Protein | 4 g |
| Cholesterol | 10 mg |
| Sodium | 171 mg |
Reviews
I made this according to the directions. I didn’t enjoy it and neither did my family. The blue cheese was the culprit I think. The tomatoes were good. I would keep that and change the cheese mixture if I made it again.
Very tasty and much appreciated by my guests. The flavors are really well balanced. The only reason I gave this 4 stars were the broiling needs to be watched very closely – I burned the bread going 1 minute on the second side and the tomatoes going the full recommended time. Had to redo both. Also, it takes a little longer than the recipe indicates, I would add 10 more minutes to the prep.
I loved this recipe! I took it to someone’s home where we stayed over the weekend. Everyone was asking for the recipe.
Next time I’d add more blue cheese…because I love it!
barb
Next time I’d add more blue cheese…because I love it!
barb
Great recipe. A bit time consuming but everyone loved it. I added double the pesto for more flavor and used sour Doug’s banquette
These are a sure thing. I sliced the onions very thin. Had to cook the tomatoes a min or two longer, in my oven (to get enough char for my taste. This was a really easy recipe!! Watch your bread! It literally needs no more than 60 seconds under the broiler! A little prep but not bad. I will make again. His was a nice, heavy appetizer.
YUMMY! Me and my boyfriend devoured these! Delicious.
these are fabulous and oh so easy to make. i did substitute goat cheese for the blue cheese as i’m not a fan of blue. they still turned out wonderful!
Amazing. They were the first thing gone at the party that I made them for. They were competing with spinich artichoke dip that I also made and deviled eggs as well. I don’t think they lasted longer than 20 minutes.
Excellent. I doubled the recipe and should have made another batch. Everyone at the picnic loved this recipe and it was so easy to prepare.
This appetizer is really good!! Made it for a dinner party and it was a BIG hit! Easy to make. Will be making it many more times.