Endive And Fava Salad Tartines With Herbed Ricotta

ENDIVE AND FAVA SALAD TARTINES WITH HERBED RICOTTA

MAKES 6 TARTINES

One March day several years ago, my aunt and I stopped into Burlington, Vermont’s South End Kitchen, an adorable café serving simple, local fare. Bundled in our warmest gear for the outing, braving the snowy roads hugging a frozen-solid Lake Champlain, we relished the tartine we ordered that afternoon—ricotta, pea shoots, radishes, and herbs—each spring-filled bite assuring us we could endure a few more weeks of winter. This is the tartine to make when you’ve had your fill of comfort foods—of soups and stews and roasts and braises—and you long for something fresh and bright. Favas are a laborious treat but can be hard to find; frozen edamame work just as well.

• 2 tablespoons minced shallots
• Kosher salt
• Pinch of sugar
• 2 tablespoons white balsamic vinegar
• 1 pound fava beans, or a heaping ½ cup shelled edamame
• 2 heads endive (3 ounces each), julienned
• 2 scallions, white and green parts thinly sliced to yield about 2 tablespoons
• 6 radishes, thinly sliced
• ⅓ cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
• ½ cup fresh basil leaves
• 1 cup fresh ricotta
• ½ cup finely chopped mixed fresh herbs, such as dill, chives, and fresh parsley
• Zest of 1 lemon

Freshly cracked black pepper to taste

6 slices bread, such as peasant bread (see page 22), Quinoa and Flax Bread (page 31), Three Seed Bread (page 28), or Soft Sandwich Bread (page 74), ¾ inch thick

1. In a small bowl, season the shallots with a pinch each of salt and sugar. Cover with vinegar and let sit for 10 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat. Shell the fava beans, then drop them in the water and cook for 1 minute. Drain and plunge them into an ice bath. Peel the favas and set aside. If you’re using edamame, boil for 1 minute, then plunge into the ice bath.

3. In a large bowl combine the endive, scallions, radishes, and favas. Whisk ¹⁄³ cup oil into the vinegar mixture, pour it over the vegetables, and toss to coat. Taste and adjust the seasoning with salt, as needed. If you have small, tender basil leaves, add them to the bowl whole; otherwise, roughly chop the leaves, add them to the bowl, and toss to coat.

4. In a small bowl, stir together the ricotta, mixed herbs, and lemon zest. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

5. Preheat the broiler to high. Arrange the bread on a sheet pan and drizzle with oil. Turn the slices over and drizzle with more oil. Transfer to the oven and broil for about 2 minutes, until golden, keeping an eye on them to prevent burning. Flip and broil the other side until golden, 1 to 2 minutes more. Transfer the bread to a serving board or platter.

6. Spread each slice of bread with ricotta and mound the endive salad on top. Serve immediately.