Tomato Crostini with Ricotta

These were a hit at our block party this past weekend. For those of you who wanted the recipe you're in for a treat. Not only is this so easy to make, it gets better throughout the summer with the varieties of tomatoes and fragrant basils that will become available. This recipe is an adaptation from one of my favorite cookbooks by David Tanis, A Platter of Figs http://www.amazon.com/A-Platter-Figs-Other-Recipes/dp/1579653464. His recipe calls for shallot and ciabatta bread, but in this particular version I used diced red onion and a baguette.
6 Roma tomatoes chopped into small pieces The original recipe uses cherry tomatoes.
2 tablespoons red onion minced
2 cloves of garlic minced
mix the above and add 1/2 cup of good olive oil and a dash or two of red wine vinegar (have also substituted balsamic vinegar and it really adds a bit of robust flavor). Season with salt and pepper to taste. I usually don't add much pepper because I feel that it takes away from the super fresh taste of the tomato mix.
Slice either ciabatta or in this case a baguette into 1/2 inch pieces and toast under broiler until slightly browned. Rub a piece of garlic across each toast and top with tablespoon of ricotta cheese ( I use Di Bruno Brothers http://www.dibruno.com/ for fresh ricotta) and sprinkle red pepper flakes. Next, add the tomato ensemble and top with lots of fresh chopped basil leaves ( a generous handful or two). I add a splash of olive oil at the end but be careful not to add too much or the bread/toast will become soggy.
We became big fans of this simple side dish while visiting Florence last year and make it frequently during the summer months when tomatoes are plentiful. Cherry tomatoes are even sweeter tasting then the Roma that I used but it was what I had on hand. As you can see, it is easy to substitute ingredients in this recipe with winning results!