eat make read

Oh boy, the tomatoes are coming and I am so ready! I just couldn’t resist these beauties when I saw them and immediately thought they were destined to be the star of the show. Then I found some purple basil and thought maybe they could co-star, because that basil was just too pretty to pass up too! So with these in mind, I set out to make a super simple little salad that was as delicious as it was pretty.

I picked up a tub of my favorite ricotta from the market near my house and whipped it with a fork to make it a little lighter. I’m mildly obsessed with adding lemon zest to my ricotta since first tasting it a few months ago… if you haven’t tried it, you’re missing out. After the cheese was ready I simply sliced my lovely heirloom tomatoes and basil, then arranged the tomatoes on a plate. A few plops of ricotta, a sprinkle of basil and a little drizzle of olive oil and sea salt and this number was ready to eat; no stove or oven required. And let me tell you, each bite was incredible. The tomatoes, fat and juicy with flavor, paired with the citrusy richness of the ricotta is like a little piece of summer heaven.

tomatoes + ricotta

4 heirloom tomatoes, sliced into 1/4 inch slices
1/2 cup ricotta cheese
juice of 1 lemon
zest of half a lemon
5-6 basil leaves, rolled and sliced
olive oil
about 1 teaspoon sea salt

1
In a small bowl, combine ricotta, lemon juice and lemon zest. Using a fork, whip the cheese until the zest and juice are incorporated and the cheese feels lighter, about 1 minutes.
2
Slice tomatoes and arrange on a plate.
3
Gently place teaspoons of ricotta over the tomatoes and sprinkle with the slices of basil.
4
Drizzle olive oil and sprinkle sea salt over the ingredients.