Whipped Ricotta

• Whip together drained fresh ricotta and 1 tablespoon of cream. You can do this by hand or in a mixer.
• Add 1 teaspoon of fresh squeezed lemon juice and whip until smooth and creamy. Ricotta has a grain to it so it won't be butter smooth, but whip until combined and soft.
• If your mixture is dry add more cream a teaspoon at a time.
• Stir in 1/2 of lemon zest. Save the rest to sprinkle on top.
• Gently stir in 1/2 tsp of salt and 1/4 teaspoon of pepper. Taste test. Add more lemon juice, salt, or pepper to taste.
• Serve with lemon wedges on the side.

Tomatoes and Basil

• Place sliced and whole tomatoes on one end of your plate.
• Top with whole or julienne sliced basil leaves.
• Drizzle with a tablespoon of balsamic vinegar or dressing.
• Sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Pine nuts

• Heat a pan over medium-high heat. Toss in your pine nuts.
• Every 30 seconds or so, shake around the pan or stir. Watch them carefully because they will burn quickly.
• After a couple of minutes, your pine nuts should be golden brown, slide pine nuts onto a plate to cool.

Toasts

• Butter both sides of bread or baguette slices.
• Heat a large sautè pan over medium-high.
• Set your buttered bread slices into the hot pan and toast both sides until golden brown.
• Peel large garlic clove and cut in half.
• Rub the raw side of cut garlic on toasted bread slices.

Final assembly

• Place prosciutto, salami, and ricotta dish on a plate with prepared tomatoes. On the side offer a bowl of greens, extra balsamic vinegar or dressing, toasted pine nuts and buttered/garlic toasts.
• My favorite combinations: toast spread with ricotta, 1 fresh tomato slice and basil or toast with prosciutto and fresh tomato slice. Simple and delicious.

Note: I found hand-dipped ricotta in the refrigerator wall case near the cheese department at Whole Foods.