Roasted Plum Bruschetta With Whipped Ricotta
Crunchy crostini, vibrant honeyed plums and lightly seasoned creamy ricotta come together to make these roasted plum bruschetta as beautiful as they are delicious. They’re simple to prepare in large batches, making them ideal for parties and entertaining. As plum recipes go, this one’s a real standout.
This year we were lucky enough to pick a load of black dessert plums from a neighbouring allotment. I think they might possibly be the most delicious plums I’ve ever eaten – certainly in recent years. I’m guessing our warm dry summer brought out their flavour. We’ve eaten them both fresh and roasted and also in a plum galette. And I’ve relished every single mouthful.
Dive Right In
- What Is Bruschetta?
- What’s The Difference Between Crostini and Bruschetta?
- Why You’ll Want To Make Roasted Plum Bruschetta
- Roasted Plum Bruschetta
- Ingredients, Additions And Substitutions
- How To Make Plum Bruschetta With Whipped Ricotta
- Crostini Top Tips
- Other Plum Recipes You Might Like
- Keep In Touch
- Pin It
- The Recipe
What Is Bruschetta?
Bruschetta, pronounced broo-sket-ta, is a classic Italian appetiser (antipasto). It’s generally slightly stale bread which is sliced, brushed with olive oil and toasted and then topped with garlic, tomatoes, basil and salt.
In reality you can top it with whatever you like. In this case I’ve chosen whipped ricotta and roasted plums.
What’s The Difference Between Crostini and Bruschetta?
There seems to be a lot of confusion online as to what the difference is between crostini and bruschetta. They appear to be interchangeable. Somewhat baffled, I asked an Italian friend for clarification.
Turns out, crostini are small slices of baguette type bread which are are either grilled or toasted. They are effectively the toasts to which you add toppings in order to make bruschetta.
Having said that, crostini mean “little crusts” in Italian whereas bruschetta means “toasted over fire”. So you pays your money and you takes your choice.
Why You’ll Want To Make Roasted Plum Bruschetta
- Make-ahead friendly – you can make the crostini toasts a couple of days ahead, roast the plums in advance and whip the ricotta ahead of time. Then assemble when you’re ready to serve.
- Quick to prepare – minimal effort for maximum flavour.
- Seasonal and elegant – a beautiful way to showcase ripe plums in their prime.
- Simple yet impressive – easy to prepare but with that vibrant plum colour, they look stunning. Perfect for entertaining.
- Sweet–savoury balance – honey-roasted plums with balsamic vinegar and herby rosemary create a gorgeous contrast against the creamy ricotta.
- Texturally exciting – crunchy toast, creamy ricotta and juicy plums make each bite a complete joy.
- Versatile – works as a starter, canapé or light lunch. They’re brilliant for parties.
Roasted Plum Bruschetta
There’s something about roasted plums that feels wonderfully autumnal. Their rich colour deepens in the oven and their sweetness intensifies. Add a drizzle of honey, a little balsamic vinegar, a hint of herbs and you have a true seasonal treat. Full of flavour, sweet and a little bit savoury, they make a perfect bruschetta topping.
Pair this fruity little number with creamy ricotta cheese and crisp crostini and you get a delightful mix of textures and flavours. Whip the ricotta and you not only smooth out its natural graininess, but it transforms into a soft lush cloud of creaminess.
These simple toasts are easy to make in quantity and thus great for parties. As well as an appetiser, you can serve them for breakfast, brunch and lunch too. Eat just as they come for breakfast and serve with a green salad for brunch or lunch.
Ingredients, Additions and Substitutions
With only a handful of ingredients needed to make roasted plum bruschetta, go for the best ones you can find or afford.
Bread
This is one of the few instances where it’s best to use white bread rather than brown. Wholemeal loaves are generally quite dense and you need a lighter more open crumb for crostini.
If you can get a true sourdough baguette, so much the better. It makes excellent crostini. But failing that an ordinary baguette shaped loaf or even ciabatta will work.
If using ciabatta or other large loaf, you may need to cut the slices in half before baking.
Herbs
Rosemary pairs surprisingly well with plums. Thyme is a more common companion and you can use that instead if you like. But the rosemary infuses the plums with a subtle, yet delicious herby note. It also makes the kitchen smell wonderful whilst the plums are roasting.
Honey
Use a light floral honey if you can. Dark and other strongly flavoured honeys are likely to overpower that gorgeous plum flavour.
Olive Oil
Use the best extra virgin olive oil you have for this recipe. With so few ingredients, it makes a difference. Grassy, spicy and peppery are all to the good.
Plums
The secret to making this recipe outstanding, is the quality of the plums. Try to use them at peak ripeness.
Any dessert type plums are good to go, but black or red ones will give the best colour. I’m no plum expert, but greengages, Victoria, Excalibur, Opal and Czar are all delicious.
Ideally, you want freestone plums rather than clingstone. This basically means the stones come away from the flesh really easily. As the name suggests, clingstone clings to the flesh, making them difficult to remove. Moreover, you tend to lose quite a bit of the flesh along with the stones.
I use seasonal dessert plums whenever I can. They’re generally ready for picking in late summer and early autumn. They’re hard to buy in shops, but tend to be riper, juicier and tastier than commercial varieties. If you don’t have your own or know anyone who does, farmer’s markets are a good bet. This year we got lucky with a freestone variety that might be Black Prince.
Supermarkets often sell large round plums. If you use those, quarter them before roasting.
Optional Extras
I like to scatter a few micro herbs over the top of my roasted plum bruschetta. I used rosemary, thyme and basil this time. But if you don’t have those, you can use a few finely chopped herbs instead.
Toasted flaked almonds are another good option. They pair really well with plums and give an additional element of crunch.
How To Make Roasted Plum Bruschetta With Whipped Ricotta
Despite the three stage process required to make these little Italian toasts, none of them are difficult and they don’t take too long either.
Please refer to the recipe card at the bottom of this post for cooking temperatures and quantities of ingredients used.
Step 1. Prepare Plums
Rinse the plums in cold water to remove any debris. Using a sharp paring knife, halve them by slicing lengthways around the stone along the natural indentation. Give a small twist to separate the two halves, then remove the stones.
If they’re freestones they should come out easily. But if they’re clingstones, you’ll need the knife to remove them.
Step 2. Roast Plums
Drizzle the olive oil into an ovenproof dish. Lay the plums in the dish, in a single layer, cut side up.
Drizzle the honey over the plums, then lay the the rosemary sprigs over the top.
Roast until the plums are soft, but still holding their shape and there’s plenty of jammy juice bubbling away. Leave to cool slightly.
Some plums may require more or less roasting time than that given in the recipe.
Step 3. Bake Crostini
Cut the baguette into twenty slices, just over 1 cm (about ½ inch) thick. Cut at an angle so you get elongated slices. Ideally you should be able to get two good bites out of each slice.
Line a large baking tray with a silicone mat or parchment paper. Lightly brush each slice with olive oil and lay them on the tray, well spaced apart and oil side down. Lightly brush the top sides with the remaining olive oil.
Bake until crisp and golden on both sides. The edges should be lightly brown, but not the middle. Flip them over half way through baking. Allow to cool slightly before using.
Top Tip
Providing your oven is big enough, you can bake the crostini at the same time as the plums are roasting.
Step 4. Whip Ricotta
You don’t need to whip the ricotta, but a small food processor makes it creamier and less grainy in texture. It also ensures the seasoning is well mixed in.
Whilst the plums are roasting and crostini toasting, place the ricotta into a small food processor along with the salt and pepper. Whip for a minute or so until smooth and creamy.
Step 5. Assemble
Spread a couple of teaspoons of the whipped ricotta over each crostini.
Top with two plum halves, then drizzle with some of the syrup left in the roasting dish.
Top with a scattering of micro herbs or toasted flaked almonds, if liked.
Once you’ve added the toppings, serve straight away. They’re best eaten whilst still slightly warm, but make sure they’re all gone within a couple of hours or so as the crostini will soften after a while.
Crostini Top Tips
It’s very easy to make homemade crostini and they don’t take much time either. This means you really don’t need to buy them readymade.
Stale bread is fine to use as you’re crisping the bread up anyway. If you’re lucky, you can buy next day baguettes at reduced prices, which is a great way to reduce waste and grab a bargain at the same time.
Sourdough and wholemeal baguettes are ideal, but you can actually use most baguettes, ciabatta and rustic type breads to make crostini.
Use a serrated knife and slice baguettes at an angle. They should be no more than half an inch thick – a bit less than 1½ centimetres.
Brush both sides of the bread with olive oil for maximum crunch and deliciousness.
Bake the crostini until they’re golden in the middle and slightly brown around the edges. If you bake them too long they can go hard, which makes them difficult to eat.
Once they’re cool, place them in an airtight container and they should keep crisp for two or three days.
Use them to make bruschetta, as in this roasted plum bruschetta recipe or to scoop up dips. You can also serve them as large croutons to dip into or float on bowls of soup. Once topped, they make great canapés too. Just halve the slices before toasting so they’re bite sized.
Other Plum Recipes You Might Like
- plum almond tart
- plum & chocolate cheesecake traybake
- plum ripple ice cream
- plum & walnut pizza
- rose plum yoghurt ice lollies
- Victoria plum & white chocolate traybake
Keep in Touch
Thank you for visiting Tin and Thyme. If you make these roasted plum bruschetta, I’d love to hear about it in the comments below. Do you have any recommendations or tips for making bruschetta or crostini?
Please rate the recipe too. And do tag me @choclette8 on Instagram with your images, I love to see your take on my recipes.
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Choclette x
Roasted Plum Bruschetta. PIN IT.
Roasted Plum Bruschetta With Whipped Ricotta
Equipment
Ingredients
Roasted Plums
- 1 tsp extra virgin olive oil
- 20 plums (about 1 lb), halved and stoned
- 1 ½ tbsp runny honey
- 1 tsp balsamic vinegar
- 3 sprig fresh rosemary big ones
Crostini
- 1 baguette sourdough for preference
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Whipped Ricotta
- 250 g ricotta cheese
- ¼ tsp sea or rock salt
- ¼ tsp black pepper freshly ground
Instructions
Roasted Plums
- Set the oven to 190℃ (170℃ fan, 375℉, Gas 5).
- Drizzle the olive oil into an oven proof dish, measuring approximately 20 x 20 cm (8 inches). Lay the plum halves into it in a single layer, cut side up.1 tsp extra virgin olive oil, 20 plums
- Drizzle the honey and vinegar over the plums, then lay the rosemary over the top.1 ½ tbsp runny honey, 1 tsp balsamic vinegar, 3 sprig fresh rosemary
- Roast for 20 minutes on the top shelf, by which time the plums should be soft with a jammy juice bubbling away.
Crostini
- Cut the baguette into twenty slices, just over 1 cm (about ½ inch) thick. Cut at an angle so you get elongated slices.1 baguette
- Lightly brush both them all with the olive oil, on both sides.2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- Place on a large baking tray lined with parchment paper or a silicone mat.
- Bake for 10-12 minutes or until crisp and golden on both sides. Flip them over after the first five minutes to ensure they toast on both sides. You can do this whilst the plums are roasting.
Whipped Ricotta
- Whilst the plums are roasting and crostini toasting, place the ricotta into a small food processor along with the pepper and salt. Whip for a minute or so until creamy.250 g ricotta cheese, ¼ tsp sea or rock salt, ¼ tsp black pepper
- Assembly
- Spread a couple of teaspoons of the whipped ricotta over each crostini. Top with two plum halves, then drizzle with some of the syrup left in the roasting dish.
- Top with a scattering of micro herbs or toasted flaked almonds, if liked.