BEET & RICOTTA SANDWICHES
Swapping out the customary bread with roasted beets makes this clean take on a tea sandwich that is excellent as an appetizer or as a side dish for brunch.
Layered with tangy, creamy ricotta and fresh herbs, cutting these with metal cookie cutters creates clean edges for unique presentation. If you don’t have cookie cutters readily available, these could be cut with a sharp knife to make squares. I prefer using fresh tarragon, but if you are not a fan of its licorice flavor, swap this with fresh thyme and these will be just as delicious.
Makes 10-12
YOU WILL NEED
3 medium beets
½ cup non-dairy ricotta or sheep’s milk ricotta
1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
Pinch of freshly ground black pepper
3 fresh chives, finely chopped
2-3 sprigs fresh tarragon or thyme
Aged balsamic or balsamic glaze, for serving
TO MAKE
Either use pre-roasted beets or roast the beets by using the following method. Preheat the oven to 400ºF. Wrap the beets in parchment and then foil and place on a baking sheet to roast in the oven until they can be easily punctured by a fork, about 50 minutes. Remove from the oven to cool before peeling. The skin should peel off quite easily when the beets are well roasted. Cut the beets widthwise into ¼” slices and set aside.
In a small bowl, mix together the ricotta, balsamic, salt, pepper and chives. Spoon about 1 tablespoon of the ricotta mixture onto a beet slice, spreading it into an even layer. Place 3 tarragon leaves on top followed by another beet slice. Use a sharp-edged metal cookie cutter or knife to cut out the desired shape. Repeat for the remaining beets. Serve with a bit of fresh tarragon and a drizzle of aged balsamic or keep covered in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours.