Basil Pesto and Ricotta with Ciabatta Bread from Chef Dana Slatkin

1-Minute Basil Pesto and Ricotta Cheese with Warm Ciabatta Bread

Basil Pesto with Ricotta Cheese and Ciabatta Bread

This week, my garden is a basil bonanza. The fragrant green and deep purple sprigs dot the sunny patch by my greenhouse, a French Impressionist’s fantasy. They’re pretty enough to adorn a table but, for the next few weeks, they are destined to go into this addictive pesto.

There are several types of edible basil — Sweet (the most common), Lemon, Cinnamon, Purple, and Thai. Keep a potted plant in a sunny corner of your kitchen for an instant flavor boost. You can even use it as an outdoor centerpiece to keep the yellow jackets away from your picnic. Mother Nature has programmed the plant to begin flowering once it has six pairs of leaves on a stalk, so pick the leaves well before, harvesting them every three weeks or so. Store them unwashed in a perforated plastic bag at room temperature (they will only last a few days if stored in the refrigerator).

In this recipe, the creamy ricotta cheese tempers the bite of the raw garlic, as would a mild goat cheese or plain yogurt. Experiment with different variations on the theme, substituting mint or spinach for part of the basil, and walnuts or pistachios for the pine nuts. This pesto is also delicious on raw or roasted vegetables, roasted potatoes, grilled fish, quinoa, and, of course, pasta.

Serves 4

2 cups packed fresh basil leaves
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
3 tablespoons pine nuts, toasted and cooled
3 garlic cloves
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 loaf ciabatta or other crusty bread, thinly sliced
8 ounces fresh whole or part-skim ricotta cheese

1. Combine the basil leaves, Parmesan cheese, nuts and garlic in a food processor fitted with the metal blade and pulse until the leaves are minced finely but not puréed. Add the olive oil through the top in a slow stream and pulse to blend, stopping to scrape down the sides of the bowl. Transfer the pesto to an airtight container and cover it with a thin layer of olive oil to keep it from browning.

2. Warm the bread in a toaster oven or oven and place it in a bread basket. Fill 4 individual ramekins or a shallow dish with the pesto and drop a healthy spoonful of ricotta cheese on top. Serve as an appetizer, snack or side dish.

Note: Store the pesto covered in the refrigerator for up to one week, or pack the pesto into an ice cube tray and freeze it. Once the cubes are frozen, you can pop them out of trays and into plastic bags for easy storage.

Got more basil to spare? Try it in a delicious Spring Green Farro Risotto.

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Photo credit: Amy Neunsinger