Crostini with roasted tomatoes, cannellini beans and whipped ricotta
Ingredients
800 gr of cherry tomatoes (I used mixed heirloom)
4 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons of balsamic vinegar, plus more for serving
1 head of garlic cut in half
A generous handful of mixed fresh herbs (thyme, oregano, rosemary)
Salt, to taste
freshly ground white or black pepper, to taste
1x 400 g tin of cannellini beans, well drained and rinsed
400 gr of ricotta
3 tablespoons of unsweetened Greek yogurt
thinly sliced baguette or ciabatta
Method
Preheat your oven to 180, static.
Wash your tomatoes, leave some whole and cut the rest in half.
In a large roasting tray cover the base with a drizzle of olive oil, place the garlic heads cut side down, add your tomatoes, salt, balsamic vinegar and herbs. Cover your tray with aluminium foil. Bake for 20 minutes then remove the aluminium foil and bake for further 15 to 20 minutes or until tomatoes are blistered, but still intact and the garlic is soft.
Remove from the oven and remove the herbs from the dish.
Place the ricotta and yogurt in a large bowl and using a fork mash them up until smooth. If you like you can do this in a food processor, if you like it super smooth. Season with salt and pepper.
Add the well-drained beans to the tomatoes while they are still warm, taste for seasoning and fix as required.
Grill the slices of bread then serve the whipped ricotta onto a platter, scatter the beans and cherry tomatoes on tops, with all the juices and the sliced grilled bread on the side. Top with fresh basil leaves and a little extra balsamic vinegar. If you like you can spread the softened garlic onto the bread for a flavour sensation.
