Ricotta Toast with Herby Blistered Peppers
WHIPPED Ricotta Toast with Blistered JIMMY NARDELLO Peppers and Gremolata
Wizardry. That’s what Dave said to me after he had one of these ricotta toasts with blistered Jimmy Nardello Peppers. He couldn’t get over just how good it was. He then promptly proceeded to have at least 3 more pieces, the compliments getting bigger and better with each slice and ending on something along the lines of this being one of my “best recipes yet”.
You see these toasts just hit all the right notes. They’ve got a creamy decadent base thanks to whipped parmesan ricotta. They’ve got a nice vibrant, acidic hit from the gremolata and a bit of crunch thanks to the hazelnuts. And, of course, there’s the star of the toasts, the sweet Jimmy Nardello peppers that are blistered to perfection. Honestly, I could eat the peppers as is, they’re so good (it’s a similar vibe as a shishito) and/or dipped straight into the whipped ricotta. But for the sake of today’s post, we’re only talking toast, and these peppers are going right on top of all the other flavorful goodness.
You know, I thought Dave’s statement of these being one of my best recipes yet was a bit bold but I don’t think I can argue with it. Because I think I just might have to agree.
WHAT ARE JIMMY NARDELLO PEPPERS?
Every time I share a recipe with Jimmy Nardello peppers I get asked about them, and my answer usually revolves around some form of "the “best peppers ever”. In slightly more technical terms, they are long and slender red Italian chili peppers that are incredibly mild and sweet in flavor. You can find them late summer through early fall, usually at a local farmer’s market, or you can check an Eataly if you live near one. They taste especially amazing sautéed and added on top of pizza or mixed into pasta dishes, and pair well with things like sausage, mussels, onions, corn and peaches, just to name a few. I specifically chose these peppers for today’s recipe, not only because they’re a favorite of mine and I’m always looking for more ways to use them, but also because they’re Italian, and, well, since this is an Italian-leaning recipe, it just kind of makes sense (or, at least in my Italian mind it does! Ha!). But, if you can’t find Jimmy Nardello’s, or you want to make this recipe when they aren’t in season, don’t fret. You can easily sub in red bell peppers for a similar outcome.
LET’S TALK GREMOLATA
Gremolata is an Italian condiment that traditionally consists of just three simple ingredients- fresh parsley, lemon zest and garlic. You’ll, of course, find all those ingredients in today’s recipe, but you know I always have to add my own little twist to things, and in today’s case that twist comes in the form of toasted hazelnuts as a way to add a little earthiness, texture and crunch to the finished toast.
Gremolata tastes best when it’s fresh so I suggest blending it together while the peppers saute and would avoid making this ahead as the nuts can become soggy, the parsley isn’t as vibrant and the flavors aren’t as fresh.
DON’T FORGET THE WHIPPED RICOTTA
The parmesan whipped ricotta, to be exact. Which, yes, I know, sounds quite fancy, but don’t let the name fool you. It’s literally the easiest, simpliest thing to make and it only requires two ingredients- ricotta and parm. However, there are a few tricks to keep in mind for the ultimate whipped ricotta sitch.
First, make sure you use full fat ricotta cheese. Anything else and you might as well just skip this recipe altogether. Also, make sure it’s cold and straight from the fridge when you blend it up. Full fat, cold ricotta is what makes it so thick and decadent.
And for the parm, unlike the ricotta, you want it to be room temperature when you add it to the food processor. That way you insure that it blends into the ricotta seamlessly for a smooth and creamy texture.
While you can make this right before you assemble the toasts, the consistency will be pretty thin, so I highly recommend making it at least an hour ahead of time. Then place it in the fridge to firm up a bit and make for easier spreading. You can also make the whipped ricotta up to 5 days in advance. Just keep it stored in an airtight container in the fridge until you’re ready to assemble the toasts.
NOW LET’S GET THESE TOASTS ASSEMBLED
While it may seem like there’s a lot involved, the truth is, these toasts couldn’t be easier. Generally, if I’m making everything at once, I like to whip the ricotta, then pop it into the fridge to chill while I get everything else prepared. Then I get the peppers cooking. While those blister I make my gremolata and grill the bread.
As for assembling, here’s how I put the toasts together.
Spread each slice of bread with ricotta cheese
Top with gremolata
Add on 4-5 peppers per toast (you can remove the stems prior to adding them on if you prefer)
Slice and serve
Yup, it really is that easy!
TIPS, TRICKS, NOTES + SUBSTITUTIONS
MAKE AHEAD
THE WHIPPED RICOTTA- You can make the whipped ricotta up to 5 days in advance. Just keep it stored in an airtight container in the fridge until you’re ready to assemble the toasts.
THE PEPPERS- You can blister the peppers up to 2 days in advance. Simply store them in a well covered bowl or airtight container in the fridge until you’re ready to use them, then let them come to room temperature before assembling the toasts
SUBSTITUTIONS
THE PEPPERS- Use red bell peppers. Simply remove the stem and seeds and slice, lengthwise, into 4 pieces.
THE PARM FOR THE WHIPPED RICOTTA- Use pecorino, asiago or ricotta salata cheese instead.
THE HAZELNUTS IN THE GREMOLATA- Try using almonds or walnuts instead.
THE LEMON ZEST- Replace the lemon zest and cut the amount of lemon juice in half and add in a finely diced preserved lemon.
SIMPLIER SERVING
For even easier plating and serving, once you cook the peppers, remove the stems. Then toss in a big bowl along with the gremolata. Gently stir a few times to coat the peppers, then spoon them straight onto the ricotta toasts.
And while I’m convinced the parm in the whipped ricotta takes these toast to the next level, if your short on time, skip the whipped part and just use plain whole fat ricotta straight from the container.
BONUS TRICK
Rub the toasts with a garlic cloves as soon as they come off the grill. This step is definitely not at all necessary but adds a little bit of extra flavor to the bread, and I’m always all about any ways to get in as much flavor as possible.
A NOTE ON THE PEPPER STEMS
Please note that while I have the stems of the peppers on in these pictures, it’s purely for styling and photo purposes. You can easily eat around them on the toast, but, if you prefer you can slice them off before you saute the peppers or pull them off once they’re cooked (they come off super easily).
SERVING SUGGESTIONS
Enjoy these toast as a late afternoon snack or for an aperitivo hour bite.
We also like them for a light lunch, with or without a side salad or a side of beans (I like cannelloni beans) or artichokes, or as part of a bigger meal, for dinner. They pair nicely with grilled chicken, pork or steak, and the other night we even enjoyed them with meatballs and an artichoke heart salad, which was a truly lovely trio.
Of course, as with most things Italian, these do pair well with a nice glass of wine. I like a crisp white, a chilled red, or a dry red, but they’re pretty forgiving and really taste great with just about any wine that starts with a ‘w’ and ends in an ‘e’.
Ricotta Toast with Herby Blistered Peppers
YIELDS 6 LARGE SLICES
INGREDIENTS
FOR THE PEPPERS
About 1 pound fresh Jimmy Nardello peppers
2-3 tablespoons olive oil
Kosher salt
FOR THE WHIPPED RICOTTA
16 ounce container full fat ricotta, straight from the fridge
3/4 cup grated parmesean cheese, room temperature
FOR THE GREMOLATA
3/4 cup fresh parsley leaves
3/4 cup toasted hazelnuts
3 cloves of garlic
6 tablespoons olive oil
Zest + juice of 2 lemons
Generous pinch of kosher salt
FOR THE TOAST
6 large slices of sourdough bread
Olive oil
DIRECTIONS
FOR THE PEPPERS
In a large cast iron skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium-high heat. Once the oil is hot carefully add in the Jimmy Nardello peppers. Sprinkle with salt (about 1/4 teaspoon), toss, then cook for 25-30 minutes, stirring every once in a while and adding more oil if necessary, until the peppers are nice and blistered.
Remove from the heat and allow to cool.
FOR THE WHIPPED RICOTTA
In a food processor combine the ricotta and parmesan cheese. Be sure the ricotta is nice and cold to keep the mixture thick and the parm is room temperature so that it blends into the ricotta seemlessly.
Blend for 1 minute. Stop and scrape down the sides. Then continue to puree for another 1-3 minutes, or until it’s creamy and smooth.
Transfer in an airtight container and refrigerate for at least an hour to allow it to thicken, or until ready to use. It can be made up to 5 days in advance.
FOR THE GREMOLATA
To make the herby gremolata sauce you can either use a mortar and pestle or pulse it together in a food processor.
Combine the parsley, hazelnuts, garlic, olive oil, lemon zest and juice and salt and pulse just a few times. You want everything to be combined, but you still want it to be chunky, not blended and smooth.
Taste test and feel free to add more salt if it needs additional flavor, more oil if it’s too dry and more lemon juice if it’s not quite acidic enough.
Set aside until ready to use.
FOR THE TOAST
Brush both sides of each sourdough bread slice generously with olive oil.
Grill on high heat on a preheat grill for about 2 minutes per side, or until nice and toasted, with some slight charring marks.
Alternatively you can toast the bread in the oven or in a cast iron skillet if you don’t have a grill.
TO ASSEMBLE
When you’re ready to assemble your toasts, generously top each piece of grilled bread with whipped ricotta. From here you can either drizzle with the gremolata first, then top with peppers, or place on the peppers and then finish with the gremolata, really whichever you prefer.
I like to do 4-5 peppers per piece of toast and leave the stems on as I like how they look and then I pull them off as I’m eating the toast (they come off really easily). However, feel free to pull them off prior to putting them on the toasts.
Enjoy as soon as they’re assembled (otherwise the bread can get soggy). I like to slice each piece of toast in half for easier eating but feel free to leave them whole and use a fork and knife to dig in. Either way, you can’t go wrong!
NOTES
MAKE AHEAD
THE WHIPPED RICOTTA- You can make the whipped ricotta up to 5 days in advance. Just keep it stored in an airtight container in the fridge until you’re ready to assemble the toasts.
THE PEPPERS- You can blister the peppers up to 2 days in advance. Simply store them in a well covered bowl or airtight container in the fridge until you’re ready to use them, then let them come to room temperature before assembling the toasts
SUBSTITUTIONS
THE PEPPERS- Use red bell peppers. Simply remove the stem and seeds and slice, lengthwise, into 4 pieces.
THE PARM FOR THE WHIPPED RICOTTA- Use pecorino, asiago or ricotta salata cheese instead.
THE HAZELNUTS IN THE GREMOLATA- Try using almonds or walnuts instead.
THE LEMON ZEST- Replace the lemon zest and cut the amount of lemon juice in half and add in a finely diced preserved lemon.
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ITEMS + INGREDIENTS NEEDED TO MAKE THIS RECIPE
