Two words: crispy prosciutto.
Working from home can be tough. Hours of staring at a screen until our eyes hurt, adjusting the angle of our laptops as the sunlight from the nearest window shifts around us. And if you’re like me, the closer we get to summer, the harder it is to focus throughout the day. Somedays I’m itching to be done with work before I’ve even opened the laptop.
On days like these, I desperately need a little mid-day morale boost: something to look forward to during the morning and get me through the afternoon. And my favorite way to do that is to treat myself to an extra delicious lunch!
Herby Ricotta Toast with Fava Beans and Crispy Prosciutto is guaranteed to make your lunchtime special! It may be simple to make, but between the fluffy herbed ricotta, the fresh creamy fava beans, and the crispy salty prosciutto, every bite is deliciously surprising and utterly delicious!
This toast tastes luxurious and looks like you fussed over it, but it’s actually very simple and quick to prepare. The herbed ricotta, the fava beans, and even the crispy prosciutto can be prepped ahead of time and stored in the fridge for easy access throughout the week. This means that you can always enjoy a delicious, special lunch, even on days when you don’t have more than a few minutes between zoom meetings.
Now more than ever, we deserve extra-special lunches that feel fun and taste delicious! This week, treat yourself to this Herby Ricotta Toast. The crispy prosciutto alone will make your day!
Enjoy!
Herby Ricotta Toast with Fava Beans and Crispy Prosciutto
(Makes 8 toasts)
For the ricotta spread:
8 oz ricotta cheese
1 ½ oz parmesan cheese, grated
2 tbsp chives, finely chopped
2 tbsp shallot, minced
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tbsp olive oil
1 teaspoon lemon juice
¼ tsp Diamond Crystal kosher salt
Freshly cracked black pepper
For the toast:
2 oz thinly sliced prosciutto
2 pounds fava beans in the pod OR 2 cups shelled fava beans (preferably fresh)
4 tsp olive oil, plus extra
2 tsp lemon juice
½ shallot, thinly sliced
Kosher salt and fresh black pepper
8 large slices crusty bread
Special equipment: baking sheet, baking parchment
Method
For the ricotta spread:
Stir together ricotta, parmesan, chives, shallot, garlic, olive oil, lemon juice, and kosher salt in a bowl. Add black pepper to taste. Taste and season with additional kosher salt or lemon juice if needed. Store chilled.
For the toast:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment and lay out prosciutto in a single layer. Bake fat has rendered and the pieces are starting to crisp and curl up around the edges, about 8-10 minutes. Remove and break into 1-inch shards. Reserve.
Lower the oven temperature to 350 degrees F.
If using fava beans in the pod, bring a large pot of salted water to the boil. Add the fava beans and boil 3-4 minutes, or until tender. Drain and transfer to an ice bath (alternately, run under cold water). When cool, drain the beans. Remove the pale outer shells and discard. Reserve beans. (If using fresh, already-shelled, beans, skip to the next step.)
In a medium-sized bowl, combine olive oil, lemon juice, sliced shallot, and cooled dry fava beans. Season to taste with kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper.
Place bread slices on baking sheet; drizzle with olive oil. Bake until crisp and lightly golden.
Top toasted bread with herby cheese and the fava bean-shallot mixture. Sprinkle with crispy prosciutto shards.
Originally posted April 3, 2021.
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