White Balsamic Vanilla Strawberry Crostini
A super-simple recipe for strawberry crostini featuring whole-milk ricotta, white balsamic and vanilla.
Ingredients
- 1 lb strawberries hulled and quartered
- 2 tbsp granulated sugar
- 2 tbsp white balsamic vinegar
- 1 vanilla bean split lengthwise and scraped (or 1 tsp vanilla paste)
- 1 pinch salt
- 1 baguette sliced into ¼-inch-thick rounds
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1½ cups whole-milk ricotta
- freshly ground black pepper
- extra-virgin olive oil for finishing
- ½ cup basil or mint leaves for garnish
Instructions
- In a medium-sized bowl, mix together strawberries, sugar, white balsamic and vanilla bean seeds and pod; season with a pinch of salt. Set aside for at least 30 minutes at room temperature until juices are released. This can be made up to 4 hours in advance.
- Preheat oven to 400°F.
- Place baguette slices on a baking tray. Brush both sides of each slice lightly with olive oil. Bake for 8–10 minutes, until golden brown and crispy. Let cool.
- To assemble, spread each bread slice with a tablespoon of ricotta, then spoon on a few strawberries and their juice. Sprinkle over pepper, drizzle a little extra-virgin olive oil and garnish with fresh basil or mint leaves.
- Prepared crostini should be enjoyed as soon as they are prepared. Do not make in advance, as they will become soggy. All the other ingredients can be prepared in advance and then assembled when ready to serve.