Ricotta, tomato & mint crostini

It’s easy to get into a rut with caprese salads in the summer. Tomatoes and basil are everywhere. Mozzarella is delicious. But after spotting more than one plate of the hallowed pairing at your second or third summery gathering, you realize that there might be such a thing as too many mozz and tomato dishes at one potluck.

Let’s mix it up. This easy celebration of ricotta and tomatoes is seasonal twist on caprese for when you want to give your mozz a rest.

Try a creamy local ricotta with garlic-rubbed crostini, tomatoes and mint.

It’s just as easy to make, a refreshing twist on a classic, and still using the season’s bounty so you’re not turning your back on summer produce.

Easy steps:

1. Buy your favorite local ricotta. The one I love that I see all over Northern California, in small and huge stores alike, is Bellwether’s basket ricotta, but you can get any you like. Calabro from Connecticut is also delicious.

2. Cut yourself some crostini and rub the top of the crostini with a clove of garlic. Toast the crostini in a toaster or in the oven. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.

3. Top the crostini with a thick slice of ricotta and lightly spread over the toast or cracker.

4. Slice different colored tomatoes to fit on the crostini, then place on top.

5. Sprinkle with chopped mint.

6. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper one last time. Serve!