Cranberry & Prosciutto Ricotta Toast
toasted bread with creamy ricotta cheese, homemade cranberry jam, and prosciutto
yield: 8 larger toasts or 16 smaller toasts
Ingredients
Scale
- 12 oz fresh cranberries
- ½ cup light brown sugar
- ¼ cup water
- 2 cinnamon sticks
- 1 star anise pod
- ½ tsp fennel seeds
- 1 tsp lemon zest, plus more for topping
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- kosher salt
- olive oil
- 8 large slices crusty fresh bread (sourdough, italian, etc.), sliced ¾” thick
- 1 cup whole milk ricotta cheese
- 1 tbsp honey
- 1 tbsp chopped fresh sage
- freshly cracked black pepper
- 4 oz thinly sliced prosciutto
Instructions
- Add the cranberries, brown sugar, water, cinnamon sticks, star anise, fennel seeds, lemon zest, lemon juice, and a pinch of salt to a 2qt saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil. Stir well and boil for 3 minutes. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for about 10 minutes or so, stirring occasionally, until the mixture is jam-like. Turn off the heat and let cool.
- Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add enough olive oil to generously coat the bottom. Once hot, work in batches to toast the bread, about 1 minute per side, adding more olive oil as needed. Watch the heat and adjust if needed. Transfer the bread to a sheet pan and season with a pinch of salt.
- Combine the ricotta cheese, honey, sage, and 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a mixing bowl. Whisk until smooth. Season with salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste.
- Spread the ricotta onto the toast. Dollop the cranberry jam and arrange the prosciutto over top. Finish with a drizzle of olive oil, more black pepper, and a pinch of lemon zest.