Ingredients
- Garlic Confit:
- 1 cup garlic cloves (from about 2 large bulbs), peeled
- 3 dried chiles de árbol
- 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- Crostini:
- 8 1/2 '-thick slices wide baguette or 4 1/2'-thick slices of large round rustic white bread, halved
- Extra-virgin olive oil (for brushing)
- 1 garlic clove, halved
- Lemon Ricotta and Hazelnuts:
- 2 cups hazelnuts
- 4 tablespoons hazelnut oil, divided
- 1/2 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest plus more for garnish
- 1/4 teaspoon grated garlic
- 1/8 teaspoon plus 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more for seasoning
- 3 tablespoons (or more) fresh lemon juice
- 1 2/3 cups fresh sheep's-milk ricotta
- Maldon sea salt or fleur de sel
Preparation
Step 1
Garlic Confit:
Heat all ingredients in a small heavy saucepan over medium-high heat until bubbles form on garlic. Reduce heat to low; simmer until garlic cloves are golden brown and soft, about 25 minutes, watching closely to prevent burning (cloves will continue to brown as they cool). Remove pan from heat; let cool to room temperature, about 1 hour. Cover and chill. DO AHEAD Can be made 1 week ahead. Keep chilled.
Crostini:
Position a rack in middle of oven; preheat to 350°. Place bread slices on a baking sheet in a single layer and brush tops with olive oil. Bake until golden brown and crispy, 15-20 minutes. Rub oiled sides of crostini with cut side of garlic clove.t
Lemon Ricotta and Hazelnuts:
Reduce oven to 325°. Place hazelnuts on a rimmed baking sheet; toast, tossing nuts occasionally, until golden brown and fragrant, 15-20 minutes. Let cool. Wrap nuts in a clean kitchen towel; rub to remove skins.
Purée 1/2 cup nuts, 1 tablespoon oil, 1/2 teaspoon zest, garlic, and 1/8 teaspoon salt in a food processor until wet, sandy mixture forms. Transfer to a small bowl. Stir in 1 tablespoon oil; season with salt. Place remaining 1 1/2 cups hazelnuts in a medium bowl and toss with remaining 2 tablespoons oil and 1/4 teaspoon salt.
Combine 1/4 cup drained garlic confit and 3 tablespoons lemon juice in a blender. With motor running, add 3 tablespoons garlic confit oil in a slow stream until smooth. Transfer vinaigrette to a bowl and season with salt and more lemon juice, if desired.
Spoon 1 tablespoon vinaigrette in center of each plate; top with generous 1/3 cup ricotta. Scatter hazelnuts and some of remaining garlic confit onto each plate. Smear 1 heaping tablespoon of hazelnut purée on each crostini; sprinkle with sea salt. Cut each toast on an extreme bias; place 2 halves on each plate. Sprinkle lemon zest over ricotta.
Makes 4 servings.