Melted Grape Tomato Bruschetta With Ricotta

Go for the (sun)gold.

This melted grape tomato bruschetta is everything I want to eat right now. Sweet, late-summer grape tomatoes are made even sweeter by roasting them until jammy. Crusty slices of artisan bread grilled or toasted with olive oil and rubbed with garlic. A smear of fresh ricotta, and a drizzle of balsamic syrup, good olive oil, with a sprinkle of sea salt and fresh pepper to finish.

You’ll also like: Burrata With Roasted On-the-Vine Tomatoes and Mixed Berry Shortcakes

Tomatoes already taste sweet right now. Tomatoes peak from July well into September. Juicy and flavorful, with deep color, summer tomatoes taste better than at any other time of year. And if you can eat some fresh off the vine, still warmed through by the sun? Bliss.

But of all the great summer tomatoes, my favorite of all are Sungold tomatoes. These little golden tomatoes taste sweetest of all. If you see them, get them.

Recipe Notes: Melted Grape Tomato Bruschetta

• More of a general tomato rule than a recipe-specific note: Do not refrigerate your tomatoes. Tomatoes love being out at room temperature, and should be eaten when ripe. Refrigerating tomatoes will slow down the ripening process, but can also mess with the texture of the tomato, and dull the flavor.
• If you would like to substitute full-size heirloom or beefsteak tomatoes instead of grape, no problem. Cut about 1 1/2 pounds of tomatoes into wedges or large chunks, and proceed. They will not take quite as long to cook, and may resemble more of a chunky sauce when finished.
• This recipe calls for a loose combination of red grape and Sungold tomatoes, but just use whatever you have available.

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Print Recipe

Melted Grape Tomato Bruschetta With Ricotta

Summer success in a garlic-rubbed toast piled with summer's sweetest tomatoes.

Prep Time15 mins

Cook Time45 mins

Course: Appetizer, lunch, Snack

Cuisine: Italian

Keywords:: bruschetta, italian, ricotta, toast, tomato, tomatoes, zucchini bread

Servings: 4 to 6 toasts

Ingredients

• 2 pints Sungold or grape tomatoes, or a combo
• 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
• kosher salt and fresh-cracked black pepper
• 6 tablespoons fresh ricotta, warmed to room temperature
• 4 to 6 thick slices crusty bread, such as Italian bread or levain
• 2 cloves garlic, peeled and halved
• 1 sprig fresh thyme or fresh basil leaves
• aged balsamic syrup to finish, optional

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 425°F and line a rimmed baking sheet.
• Toss the tomatoes in two tablespoons of olive oil. Add a generous couple pinches of salt and a few twists of fresh black pepper.
• Roast the tomatoes for 40 to 45 minutes, turning once halfway, until they are very soft and slightly blistered. Remove from oven and let cool to warm room temperature.
• Toast the bread and then generously brush with olive oil, or generously brush the bread with olive oil and then grill it in a pan over medium heat until lightly browned.
• Using the halved garlic cloves, rub the open side of the halved garlic over the toasted or grilled bread. Sprinkle with a little salt and pepper.
• Spread a tablespoon or so of ricotta over each toast. Pile on some grape tomatoes. Add a few thyme or torn basil leaves, an additional sprinkle of salt and fresh pepper (if needed), and drizzle with a little more olive oil, and some aged balsamic vinegar if you have it. Serve immediately.