Recipes

Ricotta, Sugar Snap Pea, and Pine Nut Granola Crostini

Justin Smillie

Upland - NYC

Granola goes to Italy in this recipe from Il Buco Alimentari & Vineria’s Justin Smille.  

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoons oats
  • 1/4 cup flax
  • 1/4 cup kasha
  • 3 tablespoons pine nuts
  • 4 tablespoons olive oil, divided
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons maple syrup
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons orange juice
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon sugar
  • 1 cup sugar snap peas, split lengthwise
  • Juice of 1/2 lemon
  • Sea salt and black pepper to taste
  • Baguette slices (from about a third of a baguette), grilled or baked until golden
  • 3/4 cup high-quality ricotta
  • 1/4 bunch mint leaves, roughly torn
  • Lemon-infused olive oil or regular olive oil for garnish

Method

Preheat the oven to 275ºF.

Mix together the oats, flax, kasha, and pine nuts. In a separate bowl, combine 2 tablespoons of the olive oil with the maple syrup, orange juice, salt, and sugar. Add to the oat mixture and stir to combine. Evenly spread the granola on a parchment paper–lined baking sheet. Place in the oven and toast, stirring every 10 minutes, until golden brown, about 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool for 30 minutes.

Lightly toss the sugar snap peas in the remaining olive oil and the lemon juice. Season to taste with sea salt and black pepper.

To assemble the crostini, spread about 1 1/2 tablespoons of ricotta on each slice of baguette. Top each slice with 2 or 3 snap pea halves and a few pieces of mint. Sprinkle the granola over the peas. Drizzle with olive oil.

Yield

16 to 18 crostini