Whipped Ricotta Crostini with Juicy Peaches
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Buckle up, friends, because this whipped ricotta crostini is about to become one of your new favorite appetizers! Topped with juicy peaches, fresh basil, and a drizzle of homemade balsamic glaze, these little toasts are creamy, sweet, and fresh. Serve them up with wine or cocktails for holidays, parties, and get togethers with friends!
A few weeks ago, I went on a retreat with some blogger/food photographer friends in Savannah and it was an absolute dream. We had amazing Southern food, saw a thousand Victorian-style homes, and I managed to convince some of the girls to get tattoos. 🤪 But perhaps one of the best parts was, you guessed it, the Georgia peaches.
For one of the nights, the ever-lovely Sam from Frosting and Fettuccine hired a private chef to cook us dinner! While everything was incredible, the true star of the show for me was the crostini. They had ricotta, peaches, balsamic glaze, and basil. I unapologetically ate at least 6.
When I was in culinary school, we put whipped ricotta on pasta and pizza but I never thought to pair it with peaches. But truly, it’s my new favorite combo. Let’s get into it!
Also, if you have leftover ricotta, I got you! Try this whipped ricotta dip or spinach and ricotta puff pastry pinwheels.
These crostini are a total dream
Crostini are forever one of my favorite small bites to make for a party. I mean, I love an appetizer situation where you don’t even need a fork. All you have to do is serve up some wine and let your guests mingle and munch.
- These crostini are (mostly) no-cook and have just a few ingredients.
- You can customize the toppings depending on the season!
- These two-bite snacks are amazing for parties and holidays.
Balsamic glaze
You will need balsamic glaze (not balsamic vinegar!) for this recipe. Glaze is a sweet balsamic reduction that’s sweet and keeps the crostini from ending up soggy. You can get it at a grocery store, but it’s honestly so easy to make at home, there’s really no reason to buy any. Here’s how to make it!
- Add the balsamic vinegar and brown sugar to a small saucepan. Set it over medium-low heat.
- Bring the balsamic to a gentle simmer, stirring often.
- Simmer the glaze for 8-12 minutes, until the glaze coats the back of a wooden spoon. It will thicken more as it cools.
The brown sugar is totally optional! It helps speed things along, but if you don’t have brown sugar, feel free to leave it out. The glaze might just take longer to reduce.
How to make the crostini
- Whip the ricotta and pipe it onto the toasts.
- Then, add a peach slice on top of each crostini.
- Drizzle the crostini with balsamic glaze and sprinkle with chopped basil. Enjoy!
No piping bag? All good! Just use a spoon to dollop the whipped ricotta onto the toasts.
Assemble right before serving
The crostini will get soggy as they sit, so it’s important to make them right before your guests show up. They can sit for about 15 minutes before the toasts get soft. If you use a crustier bread, they will hold up much better than crostini made with soft bread!
Prep in advance
Ok, so you’ll want to assemble the crostini right before serving so the toasts don’t get soggy! But, you can definitely prep the ingredients in advance.
Make the crostini and balsamic glaze up to 2 days in advance. You can also whip the ricotta the night before, but I recommend 2-3 hours before for the best texture.
More topping ideas
As much as I love peaches, I don’t love out-of-season peaches. If the peaches at your local grocery store are sad, there’s so many ways to spruce up these crostini with seasonal toppings and ingredients! Here’s a few of my favorites.
- Cherry tomatoes, basil, & balsamic glaze
- Hot honey and chopped pistachios or walnuts
- Roasted butternut squash and sage
- Figs and a drizzle of honey
- Cucumbers or spring peas and fresh dill
A few more tips
- Use a good quality ricotta. I promise, it makes a huge difference in the taste of this crostini! Good quality ricotta is so sweet and creamy.
- Look for peaches that are firm but fragrant. If they’re too soft, they’ll be really hard to pit and slice.
- Try grilling the peaches. It gives this app a smoky, caramelized flavor. So good!
- If you can’t find good basil, try pesto instead. Store-bought or homemade lemon basil pesto is so delicious.
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Whipped Ricotta Crostini with Juicy Peaches
Ingredients
Balsamic Glaze
- 1 cup balsamic vinegar (240 milliliters)
- 2 Tablespoons brown sugar (28 grams)
Peach Ricotta Crostini
- 1 recipe homemade crostini (or store-bought)
- 1 recipe whipped ricotta
- 4 yellow peaches, sliced into 1/8ths
- 2 Tablespoons chopped fresh basil (6 grams)
Equipment
- Small saucepan
- Piping bag,
Instructions
Balsamic Glaze
- Add the balsamic vinegar and brown sugar to a small saucepan. Set the pan over medium-low heat, stirring often, until the balsamic comes to a gentle simmer.
- Simmer the balsamic glaze, stirring often, until it coats the back of a spoon, about 8-12 minutes. Let the glaze cool completely. It will thicken as it cools.
Peach Ricotta Crostini
- Spoon the whipped ricotta into a piping bag. Pipe the ricotta on top of the crostini. (You can also use a spoon to dollop the ricotta on top of the crostini instead.)
- Place one peach slice on top of each toast. Drizzle the crostini with balsamic glaze and sprinkle with fresh basil. Enjoy!
