Roasted tomato granita with ricotta cheese, burst tomatoes, and chili oil
Serves 6-8
Vegetarian
This dish is a love letter to late summer tomatoes. Honestly, not much can beat out sliced, vine-ripened tomatoes with a little salt and olive oil, but this is a strong contender. Perfect as an appetizer or palate cleanser that will astonish your guests.
3 lbs very ripe tomatoes
¼ cup olive oil
3 tsp salt tsp salt
1 tbsp sugar
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
1 tsp ground black pepper
1 tbsp red wine vinegar
½ lb ricotta cheese
3 tbs prepared horseradish
1 cup olive oil
2 tsp chili flakes
Fresh basil for garnishing
- Slice the tomatoes in half, mix with olive oil and a teaspoon of salt, and roast in a 400 degree oven until the tomatoes begin losing some of their juice and the skins become blistered. Place the tomatoes, the rest of the salt, sugar, garlic, black pepper, and red wine vinegar in a food processor, and process until totally liquefied. Strain through a fine mesh strainer to remove the seeds and skin. Cool the mixture in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours, or until very cold.
- Clear a shelf in the freezer and place a sided metal tray in to chill. Pour the tomato mix into the tray and cover with plastic wrap. Freeze the liquid until frozen around the edges and slushy in the middle. Use a fork to break up the ice into smaller crystals. Return the tray to the freezer. Repeat the breaking up process every half hour (at least three times) until it’s completely frozen and the texture of snow. For a quicker method, use an ice cream maker. Hold your tomato granita in the freezer until you are ready to serve.
- For the chili oil, heat up the olive oil with the chili flakes for a few minutes, or until the aroma of the chilis begin to release their perfume. For the ricotta cheese: simply mix the horseradish with the ricotta cheese and set aside.
- To serve: Layer the granita and ricotta cheese/horseradish mixture in a champagne flute or other clear vessel. Drizzle chili oil over the top and finish with sliced basil leaves. Enjoy!
-Chef Steph
About the Chef
Stephanie Goldfarb is a Chicago-based chef and national food television personality specializing in seasonal, globally-inspired cuisine. Recognized as the winner of Food Network’s America’s Best Cook competition, and a celebrity chef on Kitchen Inferno and NBC’s Food Fighters, Goldfarb delivers unique and relatable culinary experiences to discriminating and casual diners alike. As the owner of the successful Seven Species Supper Club & Catering, she enjoys the challenge of building brand new menus each month that inspire both repeat clients and newcomers, and seeks opportunities to utilize new ingredients, techniques, and approaches in accessible ways.