Ricotta and nettle toast with hazelnut pangrattato

• 1/2 cup – ricotta cheese

If ricotta is very wet, drain briefly before using

• 5 ounce – nettle leaves, fresh

Blanch the nettle leaves in boiling water for 45 seconds to 2 minutes until wilted (older nettles require more time)

Reserve some of the nettle water for the mushroom-kombu tea recipe

Move to ice bath to stop the cooking and preserve the color

Allow cool for at least 5 minutes, drain and squeeze out as much water as possible using a tea towel

• 4 tablespoon – pine nuts
• 3 ounce – Parmigiano Reggiano, grated
• 1/2 teaspoon – Kosher salt

Combine nettle, pine nuts, Parmigiano Reggiano, salt in a food processor

Pulse until the mixture is coarse pesto texture and well combined, scraping down the sides as needed

• 1 teaspoon – lemon juice, fresh

Add ricotta cheese and lemon juice, pulse until combined

• 2 tablespoon – organic extra virgin olive oil

With the food processor running, slowly pour in oil until desired consistency is reached

• 1 pinch – lemon zest
• Kosher Salt
• Pepper
• lemon juice, fresh
• sugar

Taste and adjust salt, pepper, lemon juice, and lemon zest; if slightly bitter, add a very small pinch of sugar

• ⅓ cup – hazelnuts

Toast the hazelnuts in 200°C oven for 7-8 minutes until golden brown

allow to cool, then rub the hazelnuts inside a clean tea towel to remove their skins

Chop the hazelnuts roughly

• 1 slice – sourdough bread

Blitz sourdough in a food processor to create fresh, chunky breadcrumbs

• 3 cloves – garlic, finely chopped
• 2 tablespoon – olive oil

Starting in a cold frying pan, cook garlic and evoo, bringing to medium-low heat

• 1 tablespoon – fresh sage, finely chopped

Once fragrant (not browned), immediately add hazelnuts, breadcrumbs, and sage, cook, stirring frequently, until golden and crisp (~5 minutes)

• Kosher salt
• Black pepper, freshly ground

Season with a little salt and pepper

• 0.7 pound – Granny Smith apples
• 0.3 pound – Honeycrisp apples

Core and roughly chop apples (leave skins on for structure and tannin)

• 1.5 tablespoon – sugar
• 1 pinch – kosher salt

Combine apples, sugar, and salt in a bowl. Toss and let macerate 30–60 minutes until lightly juicy

• 1 cup – white wine vinegar

Add vinegar and blend until fully broken down

Strain through fine mesh or cheesecloth, pressing gently (do not over-extract pulp)

Transfer liquid to a container

• 0.5 gram – xanthan gum

Using an immersion blender, blend in xanthan gum until fully dispersed and slightly thickened

Rest 15 minutes to hydrate and stabilize

Taste and adjust (optional: tiny splash water if too sharp)

Taste the spread once more before plating and adjust if needed

• 1 slice – baguette

Slice the bread along the bias with pieces that are around 4" long and 0.75" thick

Toast the bread until golden and crisp

Spread the ricotta and nettle mixture on the toasted bread, then sprinkle with hazelnut pangrattato

• 1/2 teaspoon – lemon zest
• 1/4 teaspoon – green apple shrub

Add small dots of the green apple shrub over the toast, then garnish with lemon zest