I love crostini for appetizers. Bite-sized and easy to prepare ahead of time. I always have bread sliced and waiting in the freezer for a recipe like this. The combination of ricotta and honey is such a perfect match and the addition of my new favorite veggie- grilled broccoli is genius. Then add hot honey- YUM!

Tips:

• Play around with the veggie you use. Sautéed greens, grilled broccoli rabe, mushrooms, all would be delicious here.

• In the colder months, I’d roast the broccoli at 400 degrees for about 20 minutes or until charred and crispy. Cut the broccoli into smaller pieces if you do this method.

• Eliminate red pepper flakes if you don’t like heat.

• Roasted garlic is so good that you could eat it alone on the toast.

Broccoli and Ricotta Crostini with Honey

Recipe inspired by Bon Appetit

PREP 5 minutes

COOK 30 minutes

INGREDIENTS

1 baguette, sliced ½" thick on a diagonal (about 12 slices)

6 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, divided

1 head of broccoli, stem peeled, stem and florets seperated into crostini-size pieces

1 head of garlic, cloves separated

Kosher salt

1 tablespoon honey

1 tablespoon white wine vinegar

½ teaspoon. crushed red pepper flakes

1½ cups fresh ricotta

Freshly ground black pepper

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Preheat your grill to medium-high heat. Place all of your broccoli in a large bowl and drizzle liberally with olive oil. Give it a toss to distribute the oil on the florets and stalks.

2. Generously sprinkle salt and pepper on the broccoli slices and give it a toss to mix the seasoning around.

3. Grill the broccoli for 3 minutes on the first side, then flip for another 4 minutes, moving the broccoli around if it starts to burn. The broccoli will be a bright green with charred edges.

4. Place racks in upper and lower thirds of oven; preheat to 400°. Arrange bread slices in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet and drizzle with 2 Tbsp. oil. Toss on baking sheet to coat, then arrange again in a single layer. Add garlic to the tray and drizzle some oil on it.

5. Roast the bread until it is golden brown and crisp, 10–12 minutes. Remove bread from oven. Continue to cook the garlic until it is tender, another 15–20 minutes. Let cool slightly.

6. Meanwhile, whisk honey, vinegar, and red pepper flakes in a small bowl.

7. As soon as garlic is cool enough to handle, squeeze cloves out of their skins and mash in another small bowl to form a paste. Add ricotta and mix well; season with salt and black pepper.

8. Spread ricotta over toasts and top with grilled broccoli. Arrange on a platter and drizzle with honey mixture.