Cherry Bruschetta
I’ve talked before about how I love cherries and especially Tartarians. They’re plump, juicy dark cherries that are out of this world delicious. I’ll eat them straight out of the basket, on top of cottage cheese or mixed into a cake. Although I still need to try them on a savory dish like chicken or steak, all the desserts I’ve made have been wonderful… trust me.
While I love these cherries in desserts, I wanted to make something that people wouldn’t have to wait for. Something they could enjoy as soon as they walked in the door. Sure there’s your typical fruit salad or even a simple bowl from which guests can grab, but I wanted something a little more substantial. Then I remembered: I always make strawberry bruschetta when spring comes around. The strawberry bruschetta is sweet and hearty and a nice alternative to the more savory tomato version. So, I thought if the strawberry bruschetta was good, making a bruschetta with the Tartarian cherries would be AMAZING!
In my strawberry version I used ricotta, honey and salt as a base. I wanted this appetizer to be sweet, so I started with the ricotta and honey. But then I added goat cheese and left out the salt. See, the savory side of this dish would come from some chopped fresh thyme, which according to my favorite cooking book, The Flavor Bible, goes quite well with cherries. Not only was the book right, the thyme added a subtle herbal flavor to the appetizer that tied the whole dish together.
While I serve these bread bites on a fresh, untoasted baguette, if you’d like to add a more savory flavor, simply brush the slices with a little olive oil and toast them for a few minutes. Adding olive oil will only enhance the bruschetta and really make the sweetness from the cherries and ricotta pop. But whichever way you choose to make them, these appetizers won’t disappoint. They’re a great way to usher in summer and stonefruit season; two things I wait for all year.
Notes
Both the cheese and cherry mixture can be made up to a day ahead. Just make sure you cover each bowl tightly and refrigerate.
Ingredients
- 8 ounces ricotta cheese
- 2 - 3 ounces goat cheese
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 8 ounces cherries, stemmed, pitted and sliced in half
- 1-1/2 teaspoons fresh thyme, minced
- 1 baguette, sliced about 1/2-inch thick
Instructions
- Whisk together the ricotta, goat cheese and honey in a bowl until smooth and combined; set aside.
- Place the cherries and thyme in another bowl and stir together until combined
- Place the baguette slices on a serving platter. Then spread a tablespoon of the cheese mixture onto each of the baguette slices. Spoon the cherry mixture on top of the cheese and serve immediately.
