Almond Ricotta, Pea Mint Puree and Caramelized Onion Prosciutto Crostini

I just have a quickie appetizer for you today since we have to have fancy finger food to go with our drinks on New Years Eve!! Right?!

I made these on Christmas Night for an appetizer since I knew I couldn’t get into the traditional cheese plate that my brother always puts together. And with these amazing crostini’s I didn’t feel like I was missing out on anything.

What I really love about this one (besides that it is totally delicious) is that it has all of these tasty components, and they can all be made ahead of time! Like a day ahead of time no problem, or morning of- so that when serving time comes, I would just toast the crostini and assemble- voila!

If you haven’t notice that I am really into the almond ricotta (ricotta made from almonds- so it’s vegan!) and I like to season it with lemon zest and mild green onion. *** I buy my almond ricotta at While Foods.

Then there is the amazing pea puree made bright and zesty with fresh garlic but refreshing with the mint.

And caramelized onions- I mean, who doesn’t love that?

Now you could leave these be and they would be awesome- (and vegan!) or you could slap a piece of prosciutto on top for a really multi-dimensional flavorful appetizer!

Almond Ricotta, Pea Mint Puree and Caramelized Onion Prosciutto Crostini

Author: Heather Christo

Prep time: 20 mins

Cook time: 30 mins

Total time: 50 mins

Serves: 20

Ingredients

1 baguette (gluten free and vegan), thinly sliced (about 20 crostini)
2 tablespoons olive oil
kosher salt
Lemon Almond Ricotta
1 lemons zest
1 green onion, thinly sliced
8 ounces almond ricotta
kosher salt
Pea and Mint Puree
1 cup frozen green peas
2 cloves garlic
1 cup fresh mint leaves, loosely packed
¼ cup olive oil
2-3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
kosher salt
Caramelized onions
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large red onion, thinly sliced against the grain
1 tablespoon sugar
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
kosher salt
4 ounces Prosciutto

Instructions

For the Caramelized Onions: In a heavy pan or skillet over medium heat add the olive oil and the onions and sprinkle with kosher salt. Stir them well every few minutes. Add some water to the pan if the onions get dry and cook over medium low until very sift and melted down- about 20 minutes. Sprinkle with the sugar and the vinegar and cook for another few minutes. Season to taste with kosher salt and then set aside.
Slice the crostini and drizzle with the olive oil and then sprinkle with kosher salt. Place in the oven to bake for 7-10 minutes until golden.
For the Ricotta: combine the zest, green onion and almond ricotta in a small bowl and mix well. Season to taste with kosher salt and set aside until ready to use.
For the Pea Mixture: Bring a small pot of salted water to a boil and add the frozen peas. Cook until the peas are floating and bright green about 2-3 minutes. Drain and rinse with cold water until the peas are room temperature.
In the bowl of a food processor pulse the garlic, peas and mint. Stream in the olive oil and add the red wine vinegar. Season to taste with kosher salt and set aside.
To Assemble: Spread the ricotta over the crostini. Top with the pea mixture, and then with a dollop of the caramelized onions. Add a small piece of prosciutto over the top of the caramelized onions. Serve immediately.

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