Cherry season is here! I couldn't resist buying the biggest bag I could find. I came home with my fresh little delights and after eating way too many of them I went to work on coming up with a recipe to try and enhance Mother Nature’s perfection. That is no easy task as cherries are perfect just as they are and I didn't want to overpower their flavor. This recipe combines the snap of biting into a fresh cherry with the syrupy goodness of cooked cherries. Also, putting any thing on ciabatta is never a bad idea :)
Ingredients:
For cherry topping
3 cups cherries separated into 2 cups and 1 cup
1/2 vanilla bean
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup sugar
2 tbsp Kirsch (cherry liqueur)
For spread
14 oz ricotta con latte
1 vanilla bean
1 tsp chopped tarragon
1 tbsp honey
dash of pepper
1 loaf ciabatta bread
drizzle of olive oil
1 tsp tarragon chopped
Topping
Rinse the cherries then cut them in half and pit them. Cut the vanilla bean down the center and scrape the seeds out. In a sauce pan combine 2 cups of the cherries, the water, sugar, vanilla bean pod and seeds. Bring to a boil and let simmer for 8 minutes. Remove the cherries and the vanilla pod from the pan with a slotted spoon and set cherries aside. Simmer the liquid until it reduces to a syrupy goodness, about 10 minutes. Remove from the flame and add the Kirsch. Light the Kirsch on fire with a long match to burn off the alcohol or you can return it to the stove and boil 4 minutes to cook the alcohol out. Return the cherries to the pan, stir well and set aside.
Spread
In a bowl combine the ricotta, vanilla bean seeds, tarragon, honey and a dash of pepper. Stir to combine. Set aside.
Take the remaining cup of cherries and quarter them. Set aside.
Cut the ciabatta into slices of your desired thickness. Drizzle olive oil on both sides. Place on cookie sheet and put under broiler until lightly golden, flip and toast other side. Remove from oven. Spread the ricotta mixture on to the slices of bread, add the cooked cherries and put back under the broiler for 3 - 4 minutes. Remove from the oven and top with the fresh cherries and a sprinkle of fresh tarragon. Serve warm.
Optional
I melted some white chocolate chips in the microwave and drizzled the chocolate over half of them. I couldn't decide which way I liked them better. Without the chocolate they are quite elegant, with the chocolate they are sweet and desserty! You might need to try them both ways but either way you will hopefully agree they are Mangialicious.
For cherry topping
3 cups cherries separated into 2 cups and 1 cup
1/2 vanilla bean
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup sugar
2 tbsp Kirsch (cherry liqueur)
For spread
14 oz ricotta con latte
1 vanilla bean
1 tsp chopped tarragon
1 tbsp honey
dash of pepper
1 loaf ciabatta bread
drizzle of olive oil
1 tsp tarragon chopped
Topping
Rinse the cherries then cut them in half and pit them. Cut the vanilla bean down the center and scrape the seeds out. In a sauce pan combine 2 cups of the cherries, the water, sugar, vanilla bean pod and seeds. Bring to a boil and let simmer for 8 minutes. Remove the cherries and the vanilla pod from the pan with a slotted spoon and set cherries aside. Simmer the liquid until it reduces to a syrupy goodness, about 10 minutes. Remove from the flame and add the Kirsch. Light the Kirsch on fire with a long match to burn off the alcohol or you can return it to the stove and boil 4 minutes to cook the alcohol out. Return the cherries to the pan, stir well and set aside.
Spread
In a bowl combine the ricotta, vanilla bean seeds, tarragon, honey and a dash of pepper. Stir to combine. Set aside.
Take the remaining cup of cherries and quarter them. Set aside.
Cut the ciabatta into slices of your desired thickness. Drizzle olive oil on both sides. Place on cookie sheet and put under broiler until lightly golden, flip and toast other side. Remove from oven. Spread the ricotta mixture on to the slices of bread, add the cooked cherries and put back under the broiler for 3 - 4 minutes. Remove from the oven and top with the fresh cherries and a sprinkle of fresh tarragon. Serve warm.
Optional
I melted some white chocolate chips in the microwave and drizzled the chocolate over half of them. I couldn't decide which way I liked them better. Without the chocolate they are quite elegant, with the chocolate they are sweet and desserty! You might need to try them both ways but either way you will hopefully agree they are Mangialicious.
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