Mushroom Toast with Whipped Ricotta

Ingredients

Whipped Ricotta:

• 1 cup ricotta
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• Zest from ¼ of a lemon
• Pinch of salt, more to taste

Mushrooms:

• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• ½ pound mushrooms of choice (I used a medley of shiitake, cremini and oyster mushrooms)
• Juice from ½ lemon
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 2 tablespoons minced Italian parsley
• Pinch of crushed red pepper
• Salt, to taste

For Assembly:

• Bread of choice (I used a baguette)

Instructions

1. 1
   In a high powered blender, add the ricotta, olive oil, lemon zest and a few pinches of salt. Pulse until very smooth, scraping down the sides as needed. This took about 5 minutes to get to the right consistency. It should be silky smooth so feel free to let your blender run for a few minutes. Give it a taste and adjust the salt to your liking.
2. 2
   In a medium skillet, set over medium heat, add the olive oil. When warmed, add the mushrooms and lemon juice. Cook until softened, stirring and moving them every so often. Add the garlic clove, Italian parsley, crushed red pepper and a few pinches of salt. Mix again and cook for an additional minute or so. Give it a taste and adjust the salt and any seasoning to your liking.
3. 3
   To assemble, toast the bread and add a few teaspoons of the whipped ricotta. Top with a tablespoon of the mushroom mixture. Repeat until you’ve assembled all of the mushroom toasts.