Ricotta Caprese Bruschetta

Whippin’ it up!

In a pot add ½ gal of whole milk and ¾ cup of heavy cream.
Bring to 190-195 degrees while stirring occasionally to prevent the milk from scorching.
Once it is at 190-195, add the 3.5 tablespoons of vinegar, stir for 30 seconds then pull off the heat and stir gently until curds have formed. If it doesn’t curdle, don’t panic. Put it back on the heat, add a teaspoon more of vinegar and continue to stir. You can add up to 2 teaspoons of vinegar, if it doesn’t curdle by then. You’ll have to start over. This process is very sensitive so don’t get discouraged if it doesn’t work at first.
Once curdled, leave the curds to sit for an additional 15 minutes.
Now you will need to strain the ricotta. Start by placing cheese cloth over a mesh sieve and then pour out the ricotta into the cheesecloth.
Again, let the ricotta sit so the whey can drain out. This could take 10-15 minutes but if your cheesecloth layer is too thick, you might need to move it around to get the whey to drain.
Once drained, add to a bowl along with 60 grams, or about 4 tablespoons of a good olive oil, along with 1/2 teaspoon of salt and 4 teaspoons of sugar.
Using an immersion blender, or a blender, blend until the mixture is smooth and the olive oil has fully incorporated.

For the pesto, of course you can buy it, however, this one is better. If Pine nuts are not roasted, place them on a baking sheet and roast them in an oven set to 350 for 5 minutes
After roasted, place in food processor or place in mortar and pestle
In a food processor, place on medium speed until nuts are fine and almost form a paste. In a mortar and pestle, grind nuts until a paste forms
Whether you used a mortar and pestle of food processor, add salt and mix
Now place fresh basil with the pine nuts and mix together until the basil is broken down and a paste is formed
Next add the lemon juice and fresh grated parmigiana Reggiano and mix all together
Finally, slowly add olive oil to the mixture while either stirring or blending.
Final product should be loose enough to spread and thick enough to scoop

To make the pesto ricotta, add 2 tablespoons of pesto to 1 cup of ricotta. This recipe will yield both more pesto and more ricotta than you need.
To assemble the rest, start by taking a French loaf or country loaf and cutting it in half.
Then place 1/2 cup of the pesto ricotta and spread on the entire loaf.
Then place a layer or pepperoni, followed by a layer of sliced mozzarella, and finally a layer of sliced tomato.
Then place on a sheet pan, and place in a 400 degree oven for 20-25 minutes or until the cheese is melted and has a little color to it.
Once out, cut the loaf in half, then each half into 6 pieces. Top with thinly sliced basil and the balsamic glaze and enjoy!

Total Servings: 12

Serving Size: 1 slice

Calories: 170 Cal

Fats: 8.5g

Sodium: 268mg

Carbs: 6.2g

Fiber: 2g

Sugar: 4.2g

Protein: 5.9g