Fresh Ricotta, Cherries and Lemon Zest Crostini


Cherries.  Plump, red, succulent balls of sweet delight.  


We wait all year for these seasonal gems.  When they finally arrive, we eat them by the bowlful, leaving nothing to show but stems and pits.  When I found this recipe in Whole Living Magazine, it seemed to me to be the perfect Ode to Spring.  Juicy cherries, grated lemon zest and fresh ricotta cheese.  Breakfast al fresco.  What a perfect way to start the summer!


When it comes to cherry season, a good cherry/olive pitter is a must.  Fortunately, I got my husband this really nice one from Williams-Sonoma a couple of years ago for Christmas.  I'm telling you, he gets the best presents!



Macerate the cherries in brown sugar for about 10 minutes.  
Watch the delicious, sweet juices start to flow!


Grate the zest of one lemon and mix it with the ricotta cheese.
Spoon mixture on top of rustic bread, toasted. (I used a cranberry walnut bread.)


Top with the delicious cherries and enjoy the fruits of summer.


Don't forget that evasive little pit that wound up in the photos! :-)




Fresh Ricotta, Cherries, and Lemon Zest Crostini
Whole Living Magazine

  1. Heat oven to 375 degrees.  Combine 6 ounces (1 1/4 cups) pitted, chopped sweet cherries and 1 tablespoon light brown sugar; let macerate 10 minutes
  2. Brush 4 slices rustic bread with 2 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil and toast until golden, 5 to 7 minutes.  
  3. Mix 1/2 cup fresh ricotta with the grated zest of one lemon.  
  4. Spread bread with ricotta and top with cherries.  Garnish with more zest.
  5. Eat al fresco under the warmth of the morning sun.


Comments

rebecca @ beurrista said…
I need to get my hubs cherry pitter as a *cough* belated father's day gift! We've got the cherries, the ricotta and lemons...

Your treat looks absolutely delicious!
June 22, 2011 at 11:36 PM
Miriam said…
Wow, so simple, so delicious! I love it! Miriam@Mealess Meals For Meat Eaters
June 24, 2011 at 2:03 AM
Mindie Hilton said…
yum-o
I am just reminding everyone about tonights link party that runs Friday evening through Mondays!

I also have an ongoing give away link party now too.

Hope to see you soon.


http://bacontimewiththehungryhypo.blogspot.com/


come strut your stuff
June 24, 2011 at 11:11 AM
Nicole Feliciano said…
Sublime! We plan to go cherry picking soon. You may have inspired me to give this recipe a whirl. I found you from Ekat's kitchen, and would love for you to link up to my Friday Food Linky. Have a great weekend!

http://www.momtrends.com/2011/06/friday-food-farmers-classic-pickle-event/
June 24, 2011 at 6:27 PM
Heather at Farm to Fork said…
This is a childhood favorite of mine. I had completely forgotten all about it. Thanks for posting this. I love your pics. :-)
June 24, 2011 at 6:31 PM
Miz Helen said…
Hi Rachel,
What a delicious treat! I would just love a serving right now. Your photo's are awesome. Thank you so much for sharing with Full Plate Thursday and I look forward to seeing you again real soon. Hope you have a great week end!
Miz Helen
June 24, 2011 at 7:10 PM
Elsa said…
This looks delicious. I am going to go buy cherries just for this recipe.
June 25, 2011 at 5:21 PM
Ann Kroeker said…
Oh, my, this looks so amazing! This is the kind of thing that I could eat way too much of, so fresh and light! Thanks for linking to Food on Fridays!
June 26, 2011 at 10:21 PM
Jo said…
This looks delish! It will be perfect for our music night at the winery. Thank you for sharing.

Jo
June 27, 2011 at 3:44 PM
Katie @ This Chick Cooks said…
How wonderful! That crostini is making my mouth water. All of your picture look absolutely beautiful :)
June 29, 2011 at 3:11 PM
Vanessa @ {nifty thrifty things} said…
Wow, these look really delicious!!
Thank you so much for linking it up to {nifty thrifty sunday} last week!
Hope to see more of your creativity tonight! :)
xoxo,
Vanessa
July 2, 2011 at 5:50 AM
Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Butter Bean Soup

Image
Happy New Year!  We are off to a cold start! It's so cold that the Governor cancelled school for the entire state! That never happens. Up here in Minnesota, when it gets cold, we just pull up our snow pants and pull down our hats.  In the South, they say it's not the heat, it's the humidity.  Up North, we say it's not the cold, it's the wind.  Windchill temperatures (what it actually feels like), are said to be -40 to -50 degrees Fahrenheit. That's the coldest it's been since 1996 - just shortly before we moved to Atlanta.  Hmmmm…… it's all coming back to me now.  Nevertheless, my 16-year old says it's a great way to start second semester! When it's cold outside, there is nothing I love more than making soup. Soup is the perfect excuse to stand over a hot stove on a cold day. You can hold soup in a coffee mug and let it warm your hands. You can sip soup in the same mug and let it warm you from the inside out. There's a reason for ...
Read more

Dr. Seuss Snacks!

Image
One fish, two fish, red fish, blue fish.  I admit it.  I love Dr. Seuss!  A collection of these sing-song-y rhymes was the first thing I put on the bookshelves of our very first baby nursery.  Four kids later, I now have talents that include being able to recite The Cat In The Hat from memory! In honor of the late great Dr. Seuss (He would have been 107 on March 2nd) we are making these cute snacks!  Absolutely no skill or talent required! Simply start with a box of blue Jell-O..... and divide into four clear plastic cups. (The fish have to have a place to swim!) After the Jell-O has set, have the kids add their own fish!  (Swedish Fish, that is!) Ella's kindergarten class gets a Dr. Seuss party after they have collectively read 107 books! Happy Birthday, Dr. Seuss!
Read more

Groundhog Pudding Cups

Image
Now that we are back living in The North, I'm starting to remember why, prior to my life in The South, I had only had a handful of pedicures and didn't own any sandals.  Exposing one's feet presents health risks.  Like frostbite. Groundhog's Day (February 2nd) is just around the corner. At this time, as legend has it, the groundhog will either emerge from its hole on a sunny day, see its shadow, get scared, and hide leaving us with six more weeks of winter, or it will emerge on a cloudy day, see nothing noteworthy and predict an early spring.  Sunny or not, a package of Pepperidge Farm Milano's was all the inspiration I needed to celebrate the impending season. When I first saw these cookies in Family Fun magazine, I immediately tore out the page. How cute are these groundhogs?  The actual assembly is a bit tedious, but the eager anticipation of the recipients makes it all worth while. Begin with some Milano cookies.  Use sliced almonds for ...
Read more