This weekend I woke up early on Saturday with a mission: seek out fresh figs at the farmers’ market. I honestly didn’t even know they could grow in Indiana, so I was thrilled when I saw a couple of friends post photos of some they’d snagged at the market. I got downtown a little before 9 a.m. Saturday to start my search and quickly came upon a stand selling small boxes of 8-10 figs for $4. I happily forked over my cash after poking the figs to make sure they were ripe. I also grabbed a loaf of sesame spelt bread from Muddy Fork Bakery before rushing home to make breakfast with my market finds.

While they’re delicious on their own, I love pairing figs with a few other simple ingredients to make them the star of a meal. I made this toast using my market finds and two ingredients I already had at home: whipped cream cheese and local honey. It was such an easy breakfast to throw together, but tasted so sophisticated. Because fresh figs are so hard to find here, eating them feels like a special occasion. And by the time I’d finished my toast Saturday morning, I experienced instant feelings of regret for not buying more than one box. The figs were heavenly and I’m already planning my week around hunting down some more. Until then, I’ll be dreaming about this toast.

Fig And Honey Toast

serves 1-2

[ingredients title=”Ingredients”]

• 2 slices of fresh bread
• 2 Tbsp. whipped Neufchatel or cream cheese
• 4 fresh figs, stems removed and sliced thinly
• 1 tsp. local honey

[/ingredients]

[directions title=”Directions”]

1. Toast bread until golden brown in toaster oven or toaster.
2. Spread each slice of toast with 1 Tbsp. cheese, 2 sliced figs and drizzle each with 1/2 tsp. honey. Enjoy while warm.

[/directions]

The post Fig And Honey Toast appeared first on The Broadcasting Baker.

I find myself craving the simplest of meals during the summer. Many of them require three main components: bread, cheese and produce. The combination of ingredients is inspired by whatever I can find at the Farmers’ Market on Saturdays. This week I scored some fairy tale eggplant, watermelon and cantaloupe. But there are a few staples I find myself buying week after week: cherry tomatoes, peaches and basil. I go straight to my favorite vendors as soon as I arrive in the morning to make sure I get what I need. Then I immediately head home and throw together the most fresh, delicious lunch.

This idea for toast came together when I found myself staring down two large containers of ricotta cheese, which I had leftover from making this amazing ricotta ice cream for a cookbook club meeting. I was craving something savory and sweet, so I decided I would make both. Why choose when you don’t have to?

A few slices of this toast can be a meal in itself, but it’s also wonderful served alongside a big salad or as an appetizer while you wait for the main course to finish up on the grill. To kick it up a notch, top each toast with a balsamic reduction.

Farmers’ Market Ricotta Toasts

serves 4-6

[ingredients title=”Ingredients”]

• 1/2 french or whole-grain baguette
• 4 Tbsp. olive oil, divided
• 1 cup cherry tomatoes, diced
• 1/2 cup basil, thinly sliced
• 1 garlic clove
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. pepper
• 1 cup whole-milk ricotta
• 1 peach, cut into 12 slices

[/ingredients]

[directions title=”Directions”]

1. Cut baguette into 12 thin slices, slicing at a slight diagonal. Place bread slices on a medium-sized cookie sheet. Pour 2 Tbsp. olive oil in a small bowl and brush over the tops of each bread slice. Place cookie sheet on the top rack of your oven and set it to broil. Watch the bread closely to make sure it doesn’t burn. Broil for 2 to 4 minutes, until the edges are golden brown. Remove bread from oven and set aside.
2. While bread cools, gently stir together 1 Tbsp. olive oil, tomatoes, 1/4 cup basil, garlic, salt and pepper in a medium bowl. Set aside to let the flavors marry.
3. In a separate small bowl, whisk together ricotta and remaining 1 Tbsp. olive oil. Spread a generous amount of ricotta on top of each piece of bread. Top half of the toasts with the tomato mixture. With the remaining pieces of toast, place two slices of peach on top and sprinkle with the remaining fresh basil.

[/directions]

The post Farmers’ Market Ricotta Toasts appeared first on The Broadcasting Baker.