Like many other good discoveries, we created this recipe by accident. Cleaning out the fridge of leftovers, we made these as a snack, and now it’s a favorite. A grating of fresh lemon zest over the bruschetta before serving is a nice touch. You can use any kind of spreadable, rind-less goat cheese (caprino). Or you can go full “farmer” on it and make your own ricotta, but that’s another story… from an older book I wrote.
Ingredients:
Serves: 8
- One 5.3-ounce container spreadable goat cheese, such as Chevrie
- ½ cup ricotta cheese, preferably fresh
- 2 pounds thin asparagus, woody stems discarded
- Extra-virgin olive oil
- 4 large, wide slices crusty bread, about 8 inches across
- Flaky sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, for serving
- 1 lemon, for serving
Preparation:
- Mash the goat cheese and ricotta together in a small bowl with a flexible spatula until smooth and combined. Set aside at room temperature.
- Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 425ºF.
- Place the asparagus on a large rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle with about 2 tablespoons of the oil and roll the asparagus in the oil. Spread the asparagus in a single layer. Roast until the asparagus is crisp-tender and lightly browned, about 12 minutes, depending on the thickness of the asparagus. Remove from the oven and let cool. Cut the spears in half.
- Position a broiler rack about 6 inches from the source of heat and preheat the broiler on high.
- Drizzle the bread with the olive oil. Toast the bread on one side in the grill or broiler, about 1 minute. Turn and toast the other side of the bread. Let the bread cool slightly.
- Generously spread the cheese mixture over the toasts and cut each toast in half vertically. Top with the asparagus and season with the salt and pepper. Using a citrus Microplaner, finely grate the zest from the lemon over the asparagus. Serve with a fork and knife.
