The Summer Plate
The Summer Plate
Rated 5.0 stars by 1 users
Category
Appetizer or Salad
Cuisine
Mediterranean
Author
Sydnee Cooke
Servings
4
Prep Time
15 minutes
Cook Time
5 minutes
Calories
420
This is my summer dish. The one I come back to every year, layered, unfussy, and quietly perfect. It’s not a salad, not quite a starter. Just a plate full of everything I love: whipped lemony ricotta, peak-season tomatoes, marinated onions, a little pesto, something salty, something crunchy, and a whole lot of intention.
It’s beautiful enough to serve to guests, but I mostly make it for myself.
Ingredients
- 3–4 large heirloom tomatoes, sliced into rounds
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, quartered
- 1 cup whole milk ricotta
- Zest and juice of 1 lemon
- 1 clove garlic, finely grated or minced
- Kosher salt and cracked pepper, to taste
- 1/4 cup store-bought or homemade pesto
- 1 red onion, very thinly sliced
- 1–2 tbsp lemon juice or white wine vinegar (for marinating onions)
- 1/4 cup pine nuts
- Olive oil (for toasting)
- 1/2 cup crumbled feta
- Fresh basil leaves, to finish
Directions
Toss sliced red onion with a generous pinch of salt and lemon juice or vinegar. Let it sit while you prep the rest, it softens the bite and adds brightness.
In a bowl, combine ricotta, lemon zest, lemon juice, garlic, salt, and pepper. Whip until smooth and spreadable. Taste and adjust seasoning, it should be tangy and lightly salted.
- Heat a swirl of olive oil in a small pan over medium heat. Add pine nuts and toast until golden, stirring constantly (they go from golden to burnt quickly). Drain on paper towel.
- Slice heirlooms into thick rounds. Quarter the cherry tomatoes. Sprinkle all with a bit of salt to draw out the flavor.
- Start with a generous swoop of whipped ricotta across a large serving plate.
- Add spoonfuls of pesto, swirling slightly into the ricotta.
- Layer heirloom tomato slices on top, then scatter the cherry tomatoes.
- Add a few pinches of flaky salt.
- Spoon over marinated onions.
- Finish with toasted pine nuts, crumbled feta, and fresh basil.
Best at room temp with crusty bread nearby. This is not a salad, it’s a plate.
Recipe Note
- If your tomatoes are peak summer, this doesn’t need much salt, taste as you go.
- A drizzle of good olive oil at the end never hurts.
- You can marinate the onions a few hours ahead (or the night before) to mellow them out.
- No ricotta? A thick layer of labneh or mascarpone works beautifully.
- If serving for a crowd, build it on a big platter and let it sit at room temp for 10 minutes before serving, it gets even better.
- Toasted sourdough or crusty baguette on the side turns this into a proper no-cook dinner.
Nutrition
Nutrition
- Serving Size
- 1
- per serving
- Calories
- 420
- Carbs
- 15 grams
- Protein
- 11 grams
- Fat
- 35 grams
- Fiber
- 3 grams
- Sugar
- 6 grams