Hazelnut Romesco Sauce Toast with Ricotta & Cauliflower
yields: 1.5 cups
Hazelnut romesco sauce is one of the easiest ways to punch flavor into a dish and it's as versatile as it is quick. Spread on toast with roasted cauliflower, the mildly sweet creaminess of fresh ricotta balances the smokiness of the romesco sauce for a flavorful easy lunch!
Ingredients
Hazelnut Romesco Sauce
- 8 oz roasted red peppers from a oil-packed jar, drained
- ½ cup roasted hazelnuts
- ⅓ cup canned tomato puree
- ¼ cup flat-leaf parsley leaves, chopped and packed
- 2 large garlic cloves, peeled
- 1½ tablespoons red wine vinegar or sherry vinegar
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- Pinch pepper
- Pinch cayenne peper
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
Toast with Cauliflower and Ricotta
- 1 medium head cauliflower, cut into 1-inch florets
- 1-2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- ¼ teaspoon each salt and pepper
- 6-8 slices crusty bread, toasted (I use Arise Bakery gluten-free sourdough boules
- 12 ounces fresh whole-milk ricotta (I swear by Bellwether Farms whole milk basket ricotta
- ¼ cup toasted hazelnuts, coarsely chopped
- Flaky salt, for serving
INSTRUCTIONS
- Prepare the hazelnut romesco sauce. First, rub all the toasted hazelnuts in a cloth to remove as many of their skins as possible. Add all of the ingredients except for the olive oil to a blender or food processor and puree til smooth. With the blender running, slowly drizzle in the olive oil. Taste and adjust salt, pepper, and cayenne to your preference. Chill until ready to serve. Keep leftovers in a jar in the fridge for a week or freeze for up to two months.
- Preheat oven to 400°F. On a parchment-lined baking sheet, toss the cauliflower with a tablespoon of olive oil and the salt and pepper, massaging the oil into the florets. Add more oil as needed.
- Bake on the bottom rack until tender and beginning to turn golden brown tossing halfway through, about 25 minutes.
- To serve, spread a thick layer of romesco on a slice of toast. Top with about a tablespoon of fresh ricotta. Top with roasted cauliflower, chopped hazelnuts, and a few pinches of flake salt.
