Summer Squash And Fresh Ricotta "Sandwiches"

Stuffing things with ricotta is my natural instinct when it comes to excess of anything — pasta dough, squash flowers or even just the squash themselves. These little "sandwiches" are a simple way to put the summer squash glut to good useage and make the perfect crowd-friendly hors d'oeuvre or first course. I've taken down a plate of these delicious bites for lunch at breakneck speed. If you've never made your own ricotta, now's the perfect time.

One crucial tip: make sure your squash slices are slightly cooler than room temperature before you add the ricotta or it'll melt and ooze out of the sides before you can even take a decent photo of it (speaking from experience). But hey, test batches taste every bit as as good as "official" batches.

Summer Squash And Fresh Ricotta "Sandwiches"
No Ratings
Prep Time
20
minutes
Cook Time
20
minutes
Servings
20
sandwiches
Ingredients
  • 16 ounces fresh ricotta
  • 3 tablespoons good-quality extra-virgin olive oil
  • juice of one lemon
  • 1 tablespoon lemon zest
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 10 large leaves fresh basil
  • 4 large ripe summer squash
Directions
  1. In a large bowl, combine ricotta, 2 tablespoons of olive oil, lemon juice, lemon zest, salt, pepper and basil. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.
  2. Heat the remaining tablespoon of olive oil in large non-stick pan over medium-high heat. When it shimmers, add the squash without overcrowding the pan and cook in batches, flipping after about 3 minutes, until both sides are golden brown and squash is just cooked through. Don't overcook or you'll end up with soggy sandwiches. Remove from pan and transfer to a plate.
  3. When all the squash is cooked, slice each slice in half using a sharp knife and allow to cool to at least room temperature. You shouldn't feel any heat or see steam rising from them.
  4. Top a ricotta slice with about a teaspoon of filling, just enough so that when you place the other slice on it looks kind of like an Oreo.
  5. Serve at room temperature drizzled with a little extra olive oil and garnished with basil, if you like.
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