Whipped ricotta fig toast recipe: Ina Garten's new starter
From Ina Garten's forthcoming book Simply Ina, a six-minute appetiser that leans on grilled bread, whipped ricotta and fig jam rather than any real cooking.
This whipped ricotta fig toast recipe comes from Ina Garten's new book, Simply Ina, and trades technique for good ratios: whipped ricotta, a spoon of fig jam and grilled bread, built to be assembled rather than cooked.
Garten shared the appetiser on American television this September, describing it as an early-autumn stand-in for the bruschetta and crostini boards that dominate late-summer tables. The version below keeps her ratios but is written out in Amuse Kitchen's own quantities and method, so it works from a home kitchen without a television segment to fill in the gaps.
Whipping the ricotta rather than spreading it straight from the tub is the one step worth taking seriously: a few minutes with a whisk turns a grainy cheese into something closer to a mousse, light enough to hold its shape on toasted bread instead of sliding off in one bite.
Whip the ricotta properly and it holds; skip it and the toast just goes soft.
Ingredients
- 250 g whole-milk ricotta, drained
- 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for brushing
- 1 tbsp honey
- 1/4 tsp fine sea salt
- 6 slices sourdough or country bread
- 4 tbsp fig jam
- 4 fresh figs, quartered
- 1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves
- Flaky salt, to finish
Method
- Put the ricotta, olive oil, honey and fine salt in a bowl and whisk by hand for 2-3 minutes, until the cheese turns pale and light. The extra air is what keeps it from weeping onto the bread later.
- Brush both sides of the bread with olive oil and grill or toast until deeply golden with charred edges, about 2 minutes a side. The char adds bitterness that balances the sweetness of the jam.
- Spread each slice with the whipped ricotta first, then a thin layer of fig jam on top, so the jam stays visible rather than sinking into the cheese.
- Arrange the fresh fig quarters over the jam, pressing them in gently so they hold on the toast once cut.
- Scatter with thyme leaves and a pinch of flaky salt, and serve within 15 minutes, while the bread is still warm and crisp underneath.
Serve it before dinner, not as dinner
Garten's own note is that this works two ways: assembled as individual toasts for a sit-down starter, or laid out as a build-your-own board with the ricotta and jam in separate bowls for guests to spread themselves. The second option holds up better for a crowd, since the bread stays crisp until the moment it is topped.
Outside fig season, the same base takes ripe pear or poached quince in place of the fresh fruit, though the fig jam should stay: it is what pulls the whole plate toward autumn rather than late summer. It pairs well with the same fermentation-driven instincts found in David Lebovitz's fig and yogurt cake, another fig recipe built on restraint rather than sugar.
Can I make any of this ahead? The whipped ricotta keeps in the fridge for up to two days, covered, and the bread can be toasted an hour ahead and re-crisped briefly in a hot oven. Only assemble once the guests are actually at the table, since the fruit and jam soften the bread within minutes.
