Open-Faced Ricotta-and-Hazelnut Butter Sandwiches
September 2009
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Consider this a meal trapped in the body of a sandwich.
4 servings Prep: 25 mins Cook: 45 mins
Ingredients
- 1 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 heads garlic, peeled
- Grated peel and juice of 1 lemon
- Salt
- 1 1/2 cups toasted hazelnuts, 1/2 cup chopped
- Grated peel and juice of 1/2 orange
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 4 1/2-inch-thick slices bread from a large country loaf
- 1 cup ricotta cheese
- Parsley leaves, for topping
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees . In a small saucepan, cook the olive oil and garlic cloves over low heat until tender, about 30 minutes. Strain, reserving the garlic oil.
- Using a blender, puree the garlic cloves; reserve 1/2 tablespoon. With the machine on, add the lemon juice and 3 tablespoons reserved garlic oil until combined; season with salt.
- Using a food processor, pulse the whole hazelnuts until coarsely ground. With the machine on, pulse in 2 tablespoons reserved garlic oil, the orange peel and orange juice, the reserved 1/2 tablespoon garlic puree, 1 1/4 teaspoons salt, 1 teaspoon lemon peel and the sugar; add more garlic oil to thin the mixture to a spreadable consistency as necessary.
- Arrange the bread slices on a baking sheet and brush with garlic oil; toast until golden, 10 to 15 minutes. Transfer to a work surface. Spread each toast with one-quarter of the hazelnut mixture and 1/4 cup ricotta. Sprinkle the remaining lemon peel and the garlic-lemon vinaigrette on the ricotta and top with the chopped hazelnuts and parsley.