Fine Cooking Magazine - November/December 2020

Servings:6 to 8

If you don’t have fresh basil, you could use mint or even a tiny sprig of fresh thyme. The most important thing is to get the berries nice and juicy. If you’re stuck with less-than-ripe strawberries, add a touch more sugar and let them macerate overnight

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8 oz. fresh strawberries, hulled and coarsely chopped (about 1-2/3 cups)
2 Tbs. granulated sugar; more as needed
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1-1/2 oz. (3 Tbs.) unsalted butter, softened
1/4 tsp. cinnamon
12 1/4-inch-thick slices baguette or other crusty white bread, cut at an angle so they’re about 3 inches long
3/4 cup ricotta or other fresh cheese (about 6 oz.)
2 Tbs. thinly sliced fresh basil leaves
Smoked flaky sea salt

Calories (kcal) : 120
Fat Calories (kcal): 70
Fat (g): 7
Saturated Fat (g): 4.5
Polyunsaturated Fat (g): 0
Monounsaturated Fat (g): 2
Cholesterol (mg): 25
Sodium (mg): 340
Carbohydrates (g): 10
Fiber (g): 1
Sugar (g): 7
Protein (g): 3

Preparation

Put the strawberries in a bowl, and toss with 1 Tbs. of the sugar; add more sugar as needed, depending on the sweetness of the berries. Let stand for at least 30 minutes to let the berries soften and the juices run a bit.
Meanwhile, simmer the vinegar on low heat in a small saucepan, swirling the pan occasionally, until reduced by about half, so that it thickens slightly. Set aside.
In a small bowl, combine the butter, the remaining 1 Tbs. sugar, and the cinnamon. Set aside.
Position a rack in the center of the oven, and heat the broiler on high. Arrange the baguette slices on a large rimmed baking sheet, and toast one side until browned around the edges, about 1 minute. Flip the slices, and spread each with some of the cinnamon-sugar butter. Return to the broiler, and toast until bubbling, golden, and slightly browned around the edges, about 1 minute.
Remove from the oven. When cool enough to handle, gently spoon about 1 Tbs. of ricotta onto the buttered side of each toast. Top each toast with 1 heaping Tbs. of the strawberries and some of the juices from the bowl, and then drizzle with some of the balsamic.
Let the toasts rest so that the juices can soak into the toast a bit, about 10 minutes. Garnish with the basil and sea salt, and serve.