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Walnut bruschetta with whipped ricotta & roasted red wine grapes
Makes: 16
Prep time: 25 mins Total time: 
Recipe photograph by Martin Poole
Walnut bruschetta with whipped ricotta & roasted red wine grapes
Easy to prep-ahead, these are a great pre-dinner nibble or starter. Drenching roasted grapes in a fruity Shiraz syrup pairs beautifully with savoury whipped ricotta
Makes: 16
Prep time: 25 mins Total time:
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Nutritional information (per serving)
Calories
119Kcal
Fat
4gr
Saturates
2gr
Carbs
16gr
Sugars
8gr
Fibre
1gr
Protein
4gr
Salt
0.3gr
Debbie Major
Cook, writer and food stylist, Debbie's reputation for foolproof, delicious recipes is second to none. She is renowned for her dedication to seasonal home cooking and her love of all things rustic and authentic. Simplicity over cheffy is her motto!
See more of Debbie Major’s recipes
Debbie Major
Cook, writer and food stylist, Debbie's reputation for foolproof, delicious recipes is second to none. She is renowned for her dedication to seasonal home cooking and her love of all things rustic and authentic. Simplicity over cheffy is her motto!
See more of Debbie Major’s recipes
Ingredients
- 500g small, seedless red grapes
- 3 thyme sprigs, plus extra to garnish
- 2 tbsp caster sugar
- 4 tbsp fruity red wine, eg Shiraz
- 8 slices from a 400g walnut cob loaf
For the whipped ricotta
- 250g ricotta cheese
- 2 tbsp finely grated Parmesan or vegetarian alternative
- 1 tsp extra-virgin olive oil
Step by step
Get ahead
Prep the grapes and ricotta up to 2 days ahead; chill. Bring back to room temperature before assembling.
- Preheat oven to 200°C, fan 180°C, gas 6. Spread the grapes out on a nonstick baking tray with the thyme sprigs and roast for 25-30 minutes, shaking the tray now and then to prevent them from sticking. Reduce the oven temperature to 130°C, fan 110°C, gas ½. Roast for a further 40-45 minutes until shrivelled and sticky.
- Remove the grapes from the oven and discard the thyme sprigs. Put the sugar and red wine into a small pan (ideally one that has a light-coloured interior, so that you can see the consistency change more easily). Bring to the boil, swirling the pan to dissolve the sugar. Boil rapidly for a few seconds until it has formed a thick, sticky syrup. Add the roasted grapes and stir together to coat. Set aside.
- Whip the ricotta with the grated cheese, olive oil and some sea salt and pepper to taste.
- Toast the walnut bread and then cut each slice in half, on an angle. Leave to cool.
- To assemble, spread the toasted walnut bread with the whipped ricotta. Spoon on some of the grapes, sprinkle with a few sea salt flakes, and garnish with thyme leaves. Serve immediately while the toast is still crisp.