Mixed Beet Salad with Ricotta Toast
For 8
1 bunch golden baby beets
1 bunch red baby beets
1 bunch chioggia baby beets
Water
Salt and pepper
½ cup olive oil, plus ½ cup
¼ cup red wine vinegar
1 thyme sprig, leaves picked and chopped
8 handfuls of arugula or mesclun greens
1 loaf, lavain bread or a rustic soughdough
1 ½ cups ricotta
Roasting the Beets
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Rinse and trim tops of beets.
Place in a roasting pan and fill with hot water halfway up the
side of the beet. Season with salt and pepper. Cover with foil
and roast in oven for 1 ½ hours or until a you can pierce them
with a small knife or fork without any resistance. Remove
from oven, strain in a colander and allow to cool a bit. Peel
the beets by hand under running water in the sink. Keeping
the beet in the colander while you work helps catch the peels.
Once the beets are peeled, trim the ends up and quarter them
using a paring knife. Drizzle with a touch of olive oil.
Making the Ricotta Toast
Cut lavain in half lengthwise and place cut side down on the
cutting board. Slice thin, one half of bread. Save the other
half for the dinner table or another use. Bush a sheet pan
with olive oil. Place slices of bread on the sheet pan and
brush the tops with more olive oil. Bake in oven for 15
minutes or until golden brown.
Making a Vinaigrette
The rule of thumb says 3:1, 3 parts oil to 1 part vinegar but I
usually taste the vinegar first to see how strong or lite it is.
Most of the time I go with a 2:1. Pour ¼ cup vinegar into a
small bowl and whisk in ½ cup olive oil slowly. Season with
salt and pepper. If you are feeling creative you can add in
minced shallots, mustard, or herbs. (dried or fresh chopped)
Composing the Salad
This is the easy part. Toss greens and beets with not too
much or not too little dressing. Compose on a salad plate or
on a large platter, family style. Spread a bit of ricotta on a
toasted piece of lavain bread and place to one side of the
salad.
For 8
1 bunch golden baby beets
1 bunch red baby beets
1 bunch chioggia baby beets
Water
Salt and pepper
½ cup olive oil, plus ½ cup
¼ cup red wine vinegar
1 thyme sprig, leaves picked and chopped
8 handfuls of arugula or mesclun greens
1 loaf, lavain bread or a rustic soughdough
1 ½ cups ricotta
Roasting the Beets
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Rinse and trim tops of beets.
Place in a roasting pan and fill with hot water halfway up the
side of the beet. Season with salt and pepper. Cover with foil
and roast in oven for 1 ½ hours or until a you can pierce them
with a small knife or fork without any resistance. Remove
from oven, strain in a colander and allow to cool a bit. Peel
the beets by hand under running water in the sink. Keeping
the beet in the colander while you work helps catch the peels.
Once the beets are peeled, trim the ends up and quarter them
using a paring knife. Drizzle with a touch of olive oil.
Making the Ricotta Toast
Cut lavain in half lengthwise and place cut side down on the
cutting board. Slice thin, one half of bread. Save the other
half for the dinner table or another use. Bush a sheet pan
with olive oil. Place slices of bread on the sheet pan and
brush the tops with more olive oil. Bake in oven for 15
minutes or until golden brown.
Making a Vinaigrette
The rule of thumb says 3:1, 3 parts oil to 1 part vinegar but I
usually taste the vinegar first to see how strong or lite it is.
Most of the time I go with a 2:1. Pour ¼ cup vinegar into a
small bowl and whisk in ½ cup olive oil slowly. Season with
salt and pepper. If you are feeling creative you can add in
minced shallots, mustard, or herbs. (dried or fresh chopped)
Composing the Salad
This is the easy part. Toss greens and beets with not too
much or not too little dressing. Compose on a salad plate or
on a large platter, family style. Spread a bit of ricotta on a
toasted piece of lavain bread and place to one side of the
salad.
