Whipped Ricotta Toast with Tomatoes

Ingredients

• 1 medium head garlic
• 3 tsp olive oil
• Kosher salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1 dry pint grape tomatoes (halved)
• 1 medium shallot (cut into ¼-inch slices)
• 8 oz French baguette
• Olive oil spray
• 1 cup part skim milk ricotta
• ¼ cup chopped basil (for garnish)
• Crushed red pepper flakes (for garnish (optional))

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
2. Cut just the top of the head of garlic off, leaving cloves intact and exposed. Drizzle with 1 teaspoon oil, wrap tightly in aluminum foil, place on medium sheet pan and roast for 25 minutes.
3. In a medium bowl, combine the tomatoes, shallots, remaining 2 teaspoons oil, ½ teaspoon salt and pepper, to taste. Toss to coat. Transfer to a sheet pan lined with parchment.
4. After garlic has roasted for 25 minutes, leave it in the oven then add the sheet pan with the tomatoes and shallots and roast for 20 minutes.
5. Meanwhile, cut bread into 20 (½-inch) slices.
6. Remove both sheet pans from the oven. Turn the oven off, take wrapped garlic off sheet pan and allow to cool for 5 minutes.
7. Lay bread slices in an even layer on the sheet pan, spray lightly with olive oil and place the sheet pan in the oven to allow bread to toast while you whip the ricotta.
8. Unwrap the garlic and carefully squeeze or scoop cloves into a food processor fitted with metal blade. Add the ricotta, ¼ teaspoon salt and pepper, to taste then process for 30 seconds. Scrap sides with a spatula and pulse 2-3 times to thoroughly combine.
9. Remove bread from oven and assemble toast.
10. Scoop 1 tablespoon of whipped ricotta onto each piece of bread. Evenly distribute tomatoes and shallots on to toasts.
11. Top each with basil, a pinch of salt and red pepper flakes, if using. Serve immediately.