Tomato and Black Olive Ricotta Crostini
Ingredients:
4 (¼-inch) slices whole-grain sourdough bread or rustic bread of choice
1 clove garlic, halved crosswise
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
½ cup whole milk ricotta cheese
8 oily black olives, such as Ponentine, Gaeta, or Kalamata, pitted and chopped
Ground black pepper, to taste
1 large or 2 small field tomatoes, sliced
1 cup loosely packed arugula
2 teaspoons Balsamic Reduction (recipe in Notes below) or aged balsamic vinegar
Sea salt, to taste
Instructions:
Toast bread under broiler or on a grill, flipping once, or in batches in a toaster until very crunchy and deeply browned. Rub one-half of bread with garlic (save the leftover for another recipe) and drizzle with oil. Place on serving plate.
In a small bowl, combine ricotta, olives, and pepper; evenly spread over one-half of bread. Top each slice with a fan of tomatoes, scattering of arugula, drizzle of balsamic, and sprinkle of salt. Slice in half if desired and serve immediately.
NOTES:
How to Make Balsamic Reduction (Balsamic Glaze): Bring 1 cup of balsamic vinegar to a boil (put your vent hood on and stand back to avoid inhaling the sharp vinegar fumes). Keep boiling over high/medium-high until reduced to 1/4 cup. Store in a glass jar in the pantry for up to 1 year.