Ingredients
FOR THE SAGE AND RICOTTA CROSTINI
Baguette: 1/2
Ricotta: 150g
Lemon: juice of 1/2
Lemon: zest of 1
Sage leaves: 8-10
Sea salt and pepper
Extra virgin olive oil
FOR THE FOCACCIA
Warm water: 420ml
Yeast: 1 heaped tbsp
Strong bread flour: 300g
00 flour: 200g
Salt: 8g
Extra virgin olive oil
Get the recipes for crisp crostini with sage and ricotta, and bouncy focaccia, perfect for Christmas or any celebratory gathering or party
Serves 8
01.
To make the sage and ricotta crostini
- Preheat the oven to 200°C. Slice the baguette into 1-inch pieces on a slight angle. Transfer onto a lined baking tray and drizzle with olive oil and sea salt. Bake for about 10 minutes until golden and crunchy.
- Transfer the ricotta into a bowl and add the lemon zest and juice, salt and pepper, and about a tablespoon of olive oil. Mix generously. Add the ricotta into a piping bag if using or a sandwich bag will also do.
- Put a pan over a high heat and add a generous glug of olive oil – you want enough to cover the sage leaves. Once the oil is hot, add the sage leaves, making sure the entire leaf is covered in olive oil. Flip and season with salt, then remove and drain on kitchen towel after about 1 minute.
- To serve, cut a small corner of the piping bag and form a squiggly pattern with the ricotta. You can just spoon it on if piping is not your thing. Add a drizzle of olive oil followed by a sage leaf to each crostini.
- Each element can be made in advance and assembled just before your guests arrive.
02.
To make the focaccia
- Dissolve the yeast in the warm water, whisk, and let it sit for 5 minutes. Add the flour, salt and a generous tablespoon of olive oil. If using a stand mixer, mix on a low speed for 2 minutes before increasing the speed to medium for about 5 minutes. If by hand, mix the dough for about 10 minutes.
- Transfer to a lightly oiled bowl and leave for 45 minutes. After 45 minutes, perform a set of stretches and folds, and repeat this twice after 45 minutes both times.
- Transfer the focaccia into a lined and very well-oiled baking tray. Pinch all the corners in, flip it, and pat it down to roughly the shape of the baking tray. Don’t worry if it doesn’t stretch all the way out, it will fill the tray as it rises.
- Leave the focaccia for one hour and then, using all your fingers covered with olive oil, poke holes in it, leave for 10 minutes, and then repeat. Cover with olive oil and sea salt.
- Preheat the oven to 220°C and when ready, bake the focaccia until golden on top, which will take about 20 minutes. Drizzle the top with olive oil and let cool before serving.
