Shiitake, Asparagus, and Ricotta Toast
Cook time: 30 minutes
This shiitake and asparagus toast with whipped ricotta is purely a product of the major changes due to the covid-19 outbreak. On one of my first trips to the grocery store when this all started (and honestly, it was the last time I went inside a store for groceries) I bought a few tubs of ricotta. Fast forward to last week, and the use by date was coming up. Also, one of the local farmers markets was offering pre-orders and pick ups, so I had a pound of shiitake mushrooms and a fresh bunch of asparagus on my hands. That same day, I also watched a Slow Food USA zoom with Meatless Monday and the League of Kitchens, so I was inspired to embrace these three ingredients.
Oh, and I had some truffle salt leftover from a Truffle Shuffle online cooking class. These have been some of the best cooking classes I have ever taken even though they have been over my computer. They send you all of the ingredients and you get to do everything. So you actually learn. Plus, the company was started by French Laundry-trained chefs so they know how to cook. The truffle salt seemed like a natural pairing with the shiitakes and a great way to make this a real fancy toast, even though I didn’t have any fancy slices of toast at the time.
For the shiitakes, make sure to save the stems in a freezer safe ziploc bag. When you have enough, you can use them the next time you make a stock. For the woody asparagus ends, save them a make blended soup with potatoes and other veggies.
For the whipped ricotta, I used rice vinegar because I did not want to alter the color of the ricotta cheese. I also really like to use rice vinegar.
Let’s toast!
Servings/Suggestions
If you don’t have a convection oven, preheat to 475 degrees and halfway through cooking rotate the baking sheets
This is enough ricotta for two toasts, but enough veg for at least six toasts. Just double the whipped ricotta ingredients for four, and triple for six.
Ingredients
1 pound shiitake mushrooms, cleaned, stems removed, and sliced into 0.5” - 1” pieces
1 bunch asparagus, cleaned, woody ends snapped off, and sliced into 1” - 1.5” pieces
1/2 cup ricotta cheese
1 teaspoon truffle salt, plus more for finishing
kosher salt can be substituted
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil, plus more for finishing
1 teaspoon rice vinegar
balsamic vinegar
2 slices of bread, for the toast
Directions
Step 1
Preheat your oven to 450 degrees convection. Line two half sheet pans with aluminum foil. Spread the sliced mushrooms on one sheet pan and spread the sliced asparagus on the other sheet pan. Lightly sprinkle with kosher salt. Roast for around 20 minutes.
Step 2
Meanwhile, whip the ricotta. Add the ricotta, 1 teaspoon of truffle salt, the rice vinegar, and 1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil to a small food processor. Pulse until the ricotta is light and airy. Transfer to a small bowl and top with more truffle salt and extra virgin olive oil. Also, toast the toast at this time.
Step 3
When the shiitake and asparagus have finished roasting, remove from the oven and let them cool for a few minutes. After cooling, you should be able to easily remove the mushrooms slices form the foil. If you try to remove them immediately, they will most likely stick. Put the asparagus in a small bowl and the shiitakes in another small bowl. Add a pinch of truffle salt and a drizzle of olive oil to the asparagus. Gently toss. Add a drizzle of balsamic vinegar to the shiitake mushrooms, a drizzle of olive oil and a big pinch of truffle salt. Gently toss.
Step 4
Then spread a thick layer of ricotta and top with the mushrooms and asparagus. Finish with truffle salt and a drizzle of olive oil.
Shiitake, Asparagus, and Ricotta Toast
Ingredients:
- 1 pound shiitake mushrooms, cleaned, stems removed, and sliced into 0.5” - 1” pieces
- 1 bunch asparagus, cleaned, woody ends snapped off, and sliced into 1” - 1.5” pieces
- 1/2 cup ricotta cheese
- 1 teaspoon truffle salt, plus more for finishing (kosher salt can be substituted)
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil, plus more for finishing
- 1 teaspoon rice vinegar
- balsamic vinegar
- 2 slices of bread, for the toast
Instructions:
- Preheat your oven to 450 degrees convection. Line two half sheet pans with aluminum foil. Spread the sliced mushrooms on one sheet pan and spread the sliced asparagus on the other sheet pan. Lightly sprinkle with kosher salt. Roast for around 20 minutes.
- Meanwhile, whip the ricotta. Add the ricotta, 1 teaspoon of truffle salt, the rice vinegar, and 1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil to a small food processor. Pulse until the ricotta is light and airy. Transfer to a small bowl and top with more truffle salt and extra virgin olive oil. Also, toast the toast at this time.
- When the shiitake and asparagus have finished roasting, remove from the oven and let them cool for a few minutes. After cooling, you should be able to easily remove the mushrooms slices form the foil. If you try to remove them immediately, they will most likely stick. Put the asparagus in a small bowl and the shiitakes in another small bowl. Add a pinch of truffle salt and a drizzle of olive oil to the asparagus. Gently toss. Add a drizzle of balsamic vinegar to the shiitake mushrooms, a drizzle of olive oil and a big pinch of truffle salt. Gently toss.
- Then spread a thick layer of ricotta and top with the mushrooms and asparagus. Finish with truffle salt and a drizzle of olive oil.