by: Kate McMillan
Cook Time
15 minutes
Prep Time
10 minutes
Yield
6–8 servings
Total Time
15 minutes
Prep Time
10 minutes
Yield
6–8 servings
summary
Such a simple but elegant appetizer that everyone will love. By whipping the ricotta for a couple of minutes, you get a light and airy spread that is perfect for dipping crostini and fresh crisp veggies. The addition of olives provides a really nice briny bite to this lovely starter.
ingredients
- Crostini Ingredients:
- 1 baguette
- Extra-virgin olive oil
- Kosher salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- Dip Ingredients:
- 1 (15-ounce) container whole-milk ricotta
- Extra-virgin olive oil
- Kosher salt
- ½ cup Castelvetrano olives, pitted
- 1 teaspoon honey
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- Big pinch of crushed red pepper flakes
- Fresh dill sprigs
- 1 bunch radish, trimmed and halved
directions
- To make the crostini, preheat the oven to 350°F. Cut the baguette into ¼-inch thick slices and lay in a single layer on a baking sheet. Brush the tops with olive oil and season lightly with salt and pepper. Transfer to the oven and bake until golden brown, 14–16 minutes. Set aside.
- Add the ricotta along with 1 tablespoon olive oil and ½ teaspoon salt to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment. Whip for 2 minutes. Using the flat edge of a chef’s knife, smash the olives. Fold the olives into the whipped ricotta and then transfer to a serving bowl.
- In a small bowl, stir together 1 tablespoon olive oil, the honey, lemon zest, red pepper flakes and a big pinch of salt. Pour this over the whipped ricotta and garnish with several dill sprigs. Arrange crostini and radish on a platter to serve with the whipped ricotta.
notes
You can make this whipped ricotta and olive dip recipe a full 24 hours in advance and keep it refrigerated.
You can use any olives you like in this dish. You can also use other herbs such as thyme, basil or parsley.
Other great vegetables for this dip: carrots, beets, cucumbers, bell peppers, fennel.
