Broiled Brown Sugar-Vanilla Bananas Atop Ricotta

By tjm01

Ingredients

• 1 cup part-skim ricotta
• 1/2 tsp. freshly grated nutmeg
• 1/4 cup light-brown sugar
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1/8 tsp. coarse salt
• 1 1/2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
• 4 ripe, firm bananas, peeled

Preparation

Step 1

Preheat broiler, with rack 6" from heat source. Mix ricotta & nutmeg in a small bowl. Mix sugars, salt, & vanilla in a small bowl. Cut bananas diagonally 1/4" thick, keeping slices in order as you cut. Discard tips.
Spread 1/4 cup ricotta mixture in each of 4 (5" deep) baking dishes. Fan 1 banana around edge of each dish, creating a circle. Gently press bananas into ricotta mixture. Using a pastry brush, lightly brush bananas with water, then sprinkle each with 2 Tbsp. sugar mixture. Pat sugar into an even layer on top of bananas to prevent the sugar from clumping & burning.
Broil until sugar as caramelized & bananas have softened, 3-4 minutes. Serve immediately.