Tomato Toast with Macadamia Ricotta, Shiso + Black Lava Salt -

From Lindsey S. Love at Dolly and Oatmeal

There’s something to be said about summer’s lackadaisical approach to food and general meal preparation. This summer, more than any other other, I’ve embraced that notion wholeheartedly; making flavorful but simple salads, mixing in some breezy sauces or dressings to liven up a dish, and cooking from heidi’s forthcoming gem of a book. but more than anything else there has been an abundance of open-faced sandwiches served this season. i suppose the inspiration came from my mom and childhood memories. for beach lunches or sunset dinners she would pack a large french baguette along with various cheeses, fruit, nuts, and big green salad. we would rip off pieces of crusty bread and pile it with a schmear of brie, and slices of apple. but my favorite late summer meal most definitely came in the form of my mom’s tomato and mayo sandwiches which she served on onion rye bread with a liberal pinch of salt. the flavors and texture, and the juicy ripe tomatoes made it an indulgently simple way to savor the season.

This summer, with a big enough space in the backyard, i grew tomatoes that have provided us with an abundance of fruit for most of july and august. we’ve been roasting them, tossing them into salads, making quick tomato sauces for pasta, and slicing them for tomato toasts. and while i love a good mayo-tomato toast, we’ve been making a tahini-yogurt tomato toast, as well as the ubiquitous avocado tomato toast, but there’s also been a macadamia nut based ricotta that i’ve been wanting to share with you that lends a striking similarity to the texture and consistency of a lightly whipped ricotta cheese. so when i was conjuring up a recipe to highlight the black lava salt from ILĀ, i knew the perfect thing to pair it with. the ricotta tomato toast is rich and creamy, and gently kissed with a pinch of salt, that when prepared with fresh garden tomatoes still warm from the day’s sun, it is quite possibly the most delightful thing.