Ingredients
2 pounds ripe cherry tomatoes, halved
½ teaspoon fine sea salt, plus more to taste
½ cup chopped fresh basil (about ¾ ounce)
2 cloves garlic, pressed or minced
1 baguette (French bread)
5 tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil, divided
2 Tablespoons Fig Balsamic, or balsamic vinegar of choice
Whipped Ricotta
1 cup whole milk ricotta, the freshest you can get
2 Tablespoons Milanese Gremolata Infused Olive Oil, or oil of choice
2 teaspoons fresh parsley, finely chopped
1 teaspoon fine sea salt
Fresh ground pepper to taste
Directions
Preheat the oven or a gas grill to 450 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a large, rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper for easy clean-up, if desired.
Halve your cherry tomatoes and transfer them to a medium mixing bowl. Add the salt into the tomatoes followed by the basil and garlic. Stir to combine and set the mixture aside to marinate while you work on the bread.
Slice your baguette on the diagonal into pieces no wider than ½-inch. Lightly brush both sides of each slice with extra virgin olive oil (this will require about 2 to 3 tablespoons oil).
Place the slices in a single layer on your prepared baking sheet and bake them on the middle rack for 6 to 9 minutes, until they’re crisp and nicely golden on top. Transfer the toasts to a wire rack to cool.
To make the whipped ricotta: place the ricotta in a small mixing bowl. Use a hand mixer with a whisk attachment or beaters. Whisk ricotta for 2 minutes until it's smooth and creamy; add the parsley, sea salt, Milanese Gremolata Infused Olive Oil and continue mixing for another minute until well combined. Spread a couple teaspoons of the whipped ricotta on each slice of toasted baguette.
To Serve, carefully drain off the excess tomato juice that has accumulated in the bowl. Add the remaining 3 tablespoons of olive oil. Stir to combine and season the mixture with additional salt and fresh ground pepper to taste. Add a rounded spoonful of the marinated tomatoes over the ricotta on each toast and arrange the crostini on a platter.
Serve drizzled with additional olive oil and a sprinkle of sea salt, if desired.