When figs are in season, this “toast” is a delightful way to use figs at their peak. The recipe is so versatile it can be an appetizer, snack, or eaten for breakfast. And it can be made in minutes!
When making Fig & Ricotta Toast I am reminded of our visit to Taormina, Sicily a few years ago. I had the most delicious ricotta toast at our hotel. Their version was to drizzle honey on the top of the ricotta and sprinkle with cinnamon. That variation is delicious too. I think the homemade ricotta enhanced the flavors (the hotel made their own ricotta as do I). Here’s my recipe for ricotta in case you are interested in making your own: Ricotta.
Of course, looking out of the windows of the main dining room to the beautiful Taormina beach below and Mount Etna in the distance did add to the ambiance of the meal. This photo is as close to Italy as I will be getting this year with COVID restrictions on travel.
I could stare at this photo for hours. Ah, a nice relaxing break, now back to reality.
To make the Fig and Ricotta Toast you just layer ingredients on your toast: fig jam, ricotta cheese, sliced figs and drizzled with a thick balsamic glaze.
The first layer is spreading fig jam on the toasted bread.
Add a layer of ricotta cheese.
Top with sliced figs.
Drizzle the figs with a thick balsamic vinegar. Tips on balsamic vinegar: Balsamic.
To make these toasts for appetizers, I would suggest using a small baguette size slice of bread, about the diameter of a slice of fig. One slice of Fig & Ricotta Toast was plenty for breakfast. The recipe is for one portion, and can easily be doubled or tripled for more servings.
Want to know more about balsamic vinegar and how it is made? Here is a post from one of our visits to Modena, the balsamic vinegar capital of the world. Modena Balsamic.
If you like pairing figs with ricotta cheese, you might like Italian Grilled Cheese sandwiches.
Save RecipeIngredients
- 1 slice sourdough bread (or your favorite)
- 1-2 tablespoons fig jam
- 1-2 tablespoons ricotta (homemade or store bought)
- 1 fig
- Balsamic vinegar glaze (see notes)
Instructions
- Toast the bread. Spread toast with fig jam. Spread ricotta cheese on top. Lay sliced figs on top. Drizzle with balsamic vinegar.
Notes
I suggest using a thick rich balsamic vinegar. I use balsamic I brought back from Italy called Soba. However, Costco has a brand called Nonna's Balsamic Glaze that is pretty good. If you want to know more about balsamic vinegars, check out this post: Balsamic