Smoked Ricotta and Mushroom Toasts with Pancetta

, from Issue #48. August, 2015
Photography by Manja Wachsmuth.
Smoked Ricotta and Mushroom Toasts with Pancetta

Zany Zeus has a wonderful new smoked ricotta on the market but if it's unavailable, use regular ricotta. Combined with earthy mushrooms, salty bacon and creamy eggs, it's delish!

Serves: 4

INGREDIENTS

2 eggs
12 thin slices pancetta
2 tablespoons olive oil
knob of butter
300 grams button mushroom, thickly sliced
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 teaspoon dried tarragon
100 grams mixed exotic mushrooms
2 spring onions, thinly sliced
zest and juice 1 lemon
small handful roughly chopped flat-leaf parsley
sea salt and freshly ground pepper

To serve
4 large slices sourdough bread, grilled
Zany Zeus smoked ricotta or plain ricotta

METHOD

Place the eggs in cold water and bring to the boil. Cook for 4 minutes then drain and cool in cold running water. Peel and set aside.

Cook the pancetta in a large sauté pan until crisp and golden. Remove and drain on kitchen towels. Don’t wash the sauté pan.

Add the olive oil and butter to the sauté pan and when hot add the button mushrooms and cook over a high heat until lightly golden. Add the garlic, tarragon, exotic mushrooms and the spring onions and cook for 2 minutes. Stir in the lemon zest and juice and the parsley and season with salt and pepper.

To serve: Spread each piece of grilled bread with ricotta then top with the mushrooms. Break the eggs with a fork and spoon over the mushrooms then top with the pancetta.