Breakfast Crostini - Roasted Balsamic Strawberries on Honeyed Ricotta

Stuck in a breakfast rut?! Fancy something sublimely different for a weekend brunch? Then tried out these simple to assemble breakfast crostinis. The balsamic strawberry combination is like a match made in heaven. The balsamic vinegar lends a hand to bring out the beautiful sweetness of the strawberries. That then coupled with the tangy creamy ricotta cheese......well its simply dreamy! You could actually make these crostinis for a drinks party also and they would go down a treat. 

This recipe is not paleo friendly by any means, but cheating a couple of times a week is allowed. But here's an idea, if you don't want to eat the bread, why not use thick cucumber slices cut on the diagonal as the base instead. I only made this yesterday for the first time and already I know I  will be making very often for my B&B guests.

Ingredients

• 1 day old french baguette cut into slices, on the diagonal
• 250g of hulled strawberries, sliced
• 2 tbsp of balsamic vinegar
• 1 tbsp of white sugar
• 6-7 basil leaves, shredded
• 1 carton of ricotta cheese
• 2tbsp of honey, and extra to drizzle

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees and place the baguette slices on a baking sheet in a single layer.
2. Toast for 5-6 minutes, keeping eye they don't burn.
3. Mix the strawberries with the sugar and vinegar and place in a oven dish and bake for 10 minutes in the oven. Then remove and allow to cool completely. You can prepare both the bread and strawberries a day in advance if you cool completely and store separately in air tight containers.
4. Add the honey to the cheese and whip up with a fork.
5. Spread a generous amount of ricotta over the crostinis. Add the shredded basil to the strawberry mixture and top the ricotta with the balsamic strawberries. Drizzle with a little more honey if desired.