Every dinner party needs great appetizers and this one is a sure fired winner! Use as is or create variations of topping of your own, either way it's sure to be a huge hit. You can also easily make this a main dish for a yummy everyday lunch or dinner!
Author:
Lollygag
Ingredients
1 C. Fresh Ricotta cheese
4 Tbsp. Plain Greek yogurt
5 oz. Fresh Israeli feta cheese ( Greek Feta may be substituted if needed)
3 Tbsp. Fresh Lemon juice
2-3 Cups Cherry Tomatoes-rinsed
1 Medium Yam or Sweet Potato- Peeled and cut into 1/4" cubes
1 Garlic clove- Peeled, trimmed and finely grated
1 Tsp. Coriander Seeds- Ground in a pestle & mortar
1/8 Tsp. Guajillo Chili flakes
1 Tbsp. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1/4 Tsp. Salt
2-3 grinds of cracked pepper
1 Tbsp Fresh Parsley-Chopped
1/4 C. Toasted Pine Nuts
1 large French baguette or rustic bread loaf
Dressing
2 Tbsp. Unfiltered Apple Cider Vinegar (filtered is fine too)
1 Tbsp. Organic Honey
1 Large garlic clove- peeled, trimmed and finely grated
1/8 C. Fresh Tarragon leaves- Roughly chopped
1/4 Tsp. Salt
Garnish
1 Tbsp. Balsamic Modena Vinegar
Directions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
Toss the yam cubes and cherry tomatoes in separate bowls with some olive oil, and place them on separate rimmed baking sheets.
Sprinkle with salt, pepper, ground cumin, and chili flakes.
Place in the oven for 20 minutes or until cherry tomatoes begin to blister and liquid is bubbling, and the yams are soft and browned. You can remove the tomatoes first if yams need more time.
Remove from oven and let cool.
While oven is still on, place the pine nuts on a greased baking sheet and place in oven for 2-3 minutes- until browned.
Remove from oven and let cool.
Then cut your bread into 1/4" slices(cutting at an angle will give you larger slices) and coat with olive oil and sprinkle with salt.
Place in the oven for 3-5 minutes or until browned.
Remove from the oven and let them cool.
In a large bowl combine the ricotta cheese, Greek yogurt, lemon juice, garlic, salt, pepper, and mix well.
Crumble up the feta cheese and add it to the mixture.
Stir to combine and set aside.
In another small bowl, combine all of the dressing ingredients and stir well.
While the yams are still warm, place them into a bowl and add the dressing, tossing to coat.
Assembly
Place the toasted crostini's onto a serving tray of choice, then carefully apply a generous spoonful of ricotta-feta mixture to each piece.
Then place a spoonful of cherry tomatoes to half of the toasts, and a spoonful of roasted yams to the other half.
Sprinkle with chopped Parsley and a bit of salt, and top the yams with a few roasted pine nuts.
Drizzle some Balsamic Vinegar over the tomatoes.
Serve warm. & enjoy!
Recipe Note
This recipe is perfect for parties but also a delicious everyday dish.
Serve it on a larger rustic toasted bread slice or serve the oven roasted veggies on a bed of ricotta-feta mixture in a bowl topped with pine nuts and serve it with a slice of toast.
*The Perfect Sandwich: You can also use the yams in a baguette with goat cheese and balsamic fig dressing, topped with fresh greens...yummy!
