Butternut Squash Bruschetta with Maple Bacon and Whipped Ricotta Cheese
A great combination of sweet and savory, this fall take on a bruschetta is a real crowd pleaser!
Equipment
- Sheet Pan
- Skillet
- Kitchen knife
- Mixing bowl
- Immersion Blender or Whisk
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp Olive Oil
- 1 loaf Baguette
- 4 strips Bacon I used maple flavor, but not required
- 5-6 leaves Fresh Sage
- 1 cup Ricotta Cheese
- 2 tsp Real Maple Syrup
- 1/2 medium Butternut Squash
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350, and slicing baguette into diagonal slices, lightly spread olive oil on each side and place in oven to roast. Flip halfway through, about 8 minutes, depending on thickness of slices. Be careful not to burn, but I do find a heavier crunch holds the ingredients better as they are more liquid.
- While the bread is baking, in skillet, cook the bacon and set aside, reserving about half of the grease.
- Peel and cube the butternut squash into small pieces, about 1/8", and add to skillet, tossing in reserved bacon grease.
- When the squash is mostly tender, add in bacon (sliced to smaller pieces), as well as the maple syrup. Blend well.
- As all is combined and squash is tender, add a few leaves of sliced sage, just long enough for the flavor to add. Turn off heat.
- In a small mixing bowl, add the ricotta cheese and using either your immersion blender or the whisk, beat until a smooth consistency. Because I was making a small batch, I used a whisk and treated this like beating an egg. Enough to remove any of the coarse consistency.
- Removing your bread from the oven, plate with a spread of the ricotta and the squash and bacon mixture. Use a few more slices of the fresh sage for garnish and enjoy!