Radish Tartine with Herbed Ricotta

One of the best and worst parts of joining a CSA is that each month, the fruits and vegetables I get are a total surprise. It’s a lot of fun to open the box at work, but it makes for some tricky cooking and eating when you get a huge pile of vegetables that you’re not so into. Case in point? This month’s box, which came brimming with kale, salad greens, apples, a beet — all good things — and a whole lotta radishes.

In general, I am not a radish fan. They’re too sharp and too spicy for my tastes, and I try to avoid them. I even carried the radishes all the way to Maryland, in hopes of foisting them on my parents. Didn’t work, so I spent a significant portion of my ride back home contemplating what to do with them. Some of them would be braised, some roasted, and some of them were used in this radish tartine, an open-faced sandwich brimming with flavor and screaming out spring!

Tartine is just a fancy French way of saying “open-faced sandwich.” This version layers herbed ricotta on a thick slice of rye, then tops it with microgreens (another CSA treat!) and thinly sliced radishes. The ricotta dulls a bit of the radishes’ bite, making it much more palatable, at least to me. It’s a simple dish, but delicious — the kind of light dinner that pairs perfectly with warmer temperatures and a glass of rose. I wouldn’t say that I’m a radish convert, but I can’t wait to see what’s in my next CSA!

Radish Tartine with Herbed Ricotta
Adapted from The Fig Tree
Makes 4 servings

– 4 thick slices of seeded rye, toasted and cooled

– 8 ounces fresh ricotta

– 2 tablespoons chopped fresh herbs (I used a mix of dill, chervil and tarragon)

– 2 handfuls of microgreens (or spring mix)

– 6 small radishes, thinly sliced

– olive oil

– coarse salt and freshly cracked pepper

1) In a small bowl, mix the ricotta and the fresh herbs until well combined.

2) Spread the ricotta on each slice of rye. Add a bit of the greens, then top with radish slices. Drizzle the olive oil over top, then finish with coarse salt and freshly cracked pepper. Serve immediately.