Baked Ricotta with Dried Cherry Tomatoes

When I was developing the menu for Loring Place, everyone wanted us to serve seasonal toasts like the ones I’d become known for at ABC Kitchen. But I felt like our food culture had already hit “peak toast,” so I came up with seasonal variations of this baked ricotta. The simple, creamy ricotta base—I add some mozzarella to give it a slightly stringy cheese pull—is a great platform for all kinds of toppings, including kabocha squash, fava beans, mushrooms, or anything else that can stand up to the heat. You can also keep this super simple and just finish the broiled cheese with chopped herbs and a drizzle of olive oil.

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Step 1

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and stir until well combined.

Step 2

Combine all ingredients in a blender or mini food processor and blend until emulsified.

Step 3

increase the oven to 500°F. Spoon a ½-inch layer of ricotta mixture into an 8-inch cast-iron skillet or similarly sized shallow baking dish. Dot the top of the ricotta with the tomatoes, cut side up, and sprinkle evenly with the Parmesan. Bake until the ricotta mixture starts to bubble, 5 to 8 minutes. Remove the dish from the oven and turn on the broiler. Broil the ricotta until lightly browned on top, 2 to 3 minutes. Drizzle with the vinaigrette and sprinkle the crispy garlic, flaky salt, basil, mint, and cinnamon over the top. Serve with grilled bread or crostini for dipping.

Step 4

The Takeaway Finishing a cheesy dip with a quick pass under the broiler adds a lot to the dish. It caramelizes the cheese on top, creating a nice textural contrast to the creamy molten cheese below. It also lightly chars and intensifies the flavors of the cherry tomatoes. Keep this trick in mind anytime you’re baking something cheesy.