Strawberry, Ricotta, Prosciutto Toast

There are three flavors that continually remind me of spring and summer. One’s a fruit, one’s an herb, and one’s a cheese. Actually, in this recipe, they happen to be three cheeses combined: sheep ricotta, whole milk ricotta, and cave-aged gruyere. Not to mention, I used a little bit of mayonnaise to make the ricotta mixture a little more spreadable. Without it, no butter knife would be able to apply this cheese. This bread is also toasted twice — once in the toaster, and once in my toaster oven — to create an extra crispy texture that can hold up the strawberries and prosciutto. Not only does this toast remind me of summer, but it’s also light enough to not make one feel gross or sweaty. I hope you love this recipe as much as I loved developing it!

Ingredients:

2 slices potato bread

1/8 cup whole milk ricotta

1/8 cup sheep’s milk ricotta

1/8 cup mayonnaise

Freshly grated gruyere

4 slices 24-month Prosciutto di Parma

4 large basil leaves

2 medium strawberries

Directions:

Toast the bread on a medium setting. Preheat an oven or toaster oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Mix both ricottas and mayonnaise together. Wait for the bread to pop. Slather on toast. Shred two pieces of prosciutto over each slice of bread. Arrange in an edible way. Once the oven is finished preheating, arrange toast on a baking tin and bake for about fifteen minutes. Slices the two medium strawberries, and then slice the slices in half the ‘flat way’. Shred the basil by hand. Arrange the strawberries over the prosciutto-decorated toast. Sprinkle on the basil. Consume immediately.

Serving suggestion: Strawberry water, root beer, açai juice