Inspired by Yotam Ottolenghi’s strawberry granita recipe, this grilled sourdough toast with whipped ricotta features one very cool ingredient: makrut lime sugar. Which is quite simply fresh makrut lime leaves blitzed to a fine powder with white caster sugar. And boy, what a difference it makes! Lively, sweet and citrusy, it gives rich and creamy ricotta a much lighter feel and an exotic touch. For the toppings I used two types of strawberries: fresh and briefly cooked in a reduction of orange juice, balsamic vinegar and sugar. With a sprinkle of rock salt and a few roasted pine nuts for the finish, it was absolutely delicious!
The Flavour Affair:
Makrut Lime Leaf + Sugar + Whipped Ricotta + EVOO* + Strawberries + Orange + Balsamic Vinegar + Pine Nuts
*EVOO = extra virgin olive oil
In this recipe, we grill or fry sourdough toast in olive oil, spread over fluffy ricotta whipped with makrut lime sugar and evoo, and add a generous topping of mixed fresh and cooked strawberries.
Grilled Sourdough Toast: I really like using sourdough bread for these kind of recipes. As the name suggests, it has a subtle sour taste which helps to make the overall flavour more rounded.
Makrut Lime Leaves: the key ingredient here – please don’t skip! Also known as kaffir lime leaves, they are primarily used in South East Asian cuisine. The leaves are dark green, glossy and meaty with a scallop-like outline:
They have a very fresh scent that is distinctively citrusy yet less bitter than that of lemon or lime. There is also a noticeable sweet undertone and a hint of cucumber (at least to my nose!). As with many herbs, the aroma intensifies when you chop or bruise them. Blitzing makrut leaves with sugar creates a fragrant powder that is both invigorating and sweet. Here I just used white caster sugar – guilty as charged!
These days, you can easily find makrut leaves in all major supermarkets.
Whipped Ricotta: ricotta is an Italian cream cheese with a soft texture that’s a little grainy. Whipping ricotta with some milk, cream or evoo makes it fluffier and lighter – almost mousse-like. The taste is quite mild and rather plain, which is why it is normally flavoured with other ingredients such as lemon, honey, fresh fruits and/or nuts. It is then used for dipping or as a spread for toasts. In our case, we infuse fresh ricotta with sweet and fragrant makrut lime sugar and extra virgin olive oil.
EVOO, or extra virgin olive oil: helps emulsify the ricotta, making it more smooth. Good quality evoo also imparts its own flavour nuances that can be fruity, herbaceous or even slightly peppery.
And now to the toppings…
Strawberries: this toast will be great with just fresh strawberries and some makrut lime sugar on top. But you want a little more sophistication, you can easily take it one step further with the help of a quick orange & balsamic reduction. Hit a hot pan with 1/3 cups of orange juice, stir in 10g brown sugar and add a splash of balsamic vinegar. Pop in a few sliced strawberries and gently simmer until the sauce thickens. This little trick adds a nice contrast from the tangy reduction, which helps to build up the flavour. Plus, it creates a variation in colours and textures. If you have 10 extra minutes at hand, definitely go for it!
Makrut Lime Sugar: sprinkle a little extra on top.
Pine Nuts: I always like to garnish a toast with some nuts, and pine nuts work great here. You can also use roasted cashews or almonds.
Rock Salt: finish off with a few grinds of salt mill to bring the flavour to perfection.
Preparation tips for Sourdough Toast with Whipped Ricotta, Makrut Lime Sugar and Strawberries:
- Cut the sourdough bread into 1cm slices. That’s a perfect thickness that allows the inside to stay fluffy and soft.
- Fry the toast on a pan with some olive oil for a few minutes on each side, until browned and crusty. I much prefer this method rather than dry toasting the bread – the oil infuses the toast with its mild aroma and makes it deliciously buttery.
- Remove the rough stalks of makrut leaves before grinding them. Just fold the leaf, hold the sides together and pull the stalk out.
- Use spice grinder to blitz the leaves together with sugar. If you don’t have one, chop the leaves as finely as you can and mix with extra fine caster sugar.
- Makrut lime sugar loses its fragrance and flavour fairly quickly – in about a day, so it is best to use made afresh.
- Orange & balsamic strawberries need very little time to make. Slice the berries thinly and add to the pan with the sauce for just 3-4 minutes until they soften and the glaze thickens.
Serve this delicious toast as a snack or a sweet breakfast treat. You can also make mini toasts and wow your guests with a spectacular appetizer next time you are hosting!
For more grilled sourdough goodness, check out these recipes:
Sourdough Toast with Grilled Nectarine and Burrata
Grilled Sourdough with Mascarpone, Fig Chutney and Prosciutto
Fried Eggplant Toast with Burrata, Tomatoes and Tkemali
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Sourdough Toast with Whipped Ricotta, Makrut Lime and Strawberries
Equipment
- 1 grill pan
- 1 small sauce pan
- A spice grinder
Ingredients
For the Grilled Sourdough:
- 4 1-cm thick pieces of sourdough bread
- 3 tbsp olive oil
For the Whipped Ricotta:
- 150 g ricotta cheese
- 4-5 makrut lime leaves stalks removed
- 1 tsp fine white sugar
- 1 tbsp evoo
For the Toppings:
- 12 large sweet strawberries sliced
- 1/3 cups orange juice
- 10 g brown sugar
- 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
- 1 tbsp roasted pine nuts
- Rock salt
Instructions
To make grilled sourdough toasts:
- Heat 3 tbsp of olive oil in a grill pan to medium-high.
- Add slices of sourdough bread and fry for a couple of minutes on each side, until golden and crunchy.
- Transfer to a plate and let cool.
To make whipped ricotta:
- Blitz makrut lime leaves and 1 tsp of white sugar in a spice grinder. If you don’t have a grinder, chop the leaves as finely as you can and mix with extra fine caster sugar.
- Place 150g ricotta cheese into a large bowl. Add 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, 1 tsp of makrut lime sugar and whisk with a hand mixer until smooth and fluffy.
To make orange & balsamic strawberries:
- Heat a small sauce pan to medium-high. Pour in 1/3 cups of orange juice and add 10g brown sugar. Stir to dissolve the sugar.
- Add 1 tbsp of balsamic vinegar and bring to simmer.
- Add half of the sliced strawberries and cook over medium-high heat until the liquid has reduced to a glaze.
- Remove the strawberries and let cool.
To assemble:
- Spread whipped ricotta over the toasts and season with a little rock salt.
- Top with a mix of cooked and fresh strawberries and sprinkle over some more makrut lime sugar.
- Serve garnished with roasted pine nuts.
Notes
- If you are short on time, just use fresh strawberries – your toast will still be amazing!
