ROASTED SUMMER STONE FRUIT & RICOTTA TOASTS

It's time for a gluttony of fruits -- in my mind, this moment is the best time of year for an eater of the voracious, juicy, standing-over-the-sink, no-napkins-no-problem type. It's a good thing to plop a bunch of peaches in a smoothie loaded with almond butter, banana a date and a pinch of salt. Also nice is chopping a scad of apricots, tossing in some arugula or radicchio and dolloping a mound of burratta at the center of the plate, watching a beautiful ooze take place and lapping up the pleasures of summer amongst friends. A handful of pitted cherries, a splash of kirsch, a pinch of sugar and 10 minutes at the stove cooks down to be an excellent ice cream topping.  A pie of all the these gorgeous bursty globes never let anyone down.

I could go on forever, really -- a mess of seasonal fruits gets me cranking like no other thing. I present you with one delicious option, a resplendent little treat both sweet and a touch savory -- perfect for crunching on as the day goes by.

These are not complicated and hardly call for a recipe -- more of an idea, ode to season, gesture of kindness -- and compositional suggestion. At the core the topped toasts are all about texture harmony: crunchy bread (day old will do just fine) meeting velvety whole milk ricotta (homemade is best but Trader Joe's carries my second favorite) and then a burst of sweet, jammy fruit meltyness. The final touch is a sinful swirl of local honey, a slight scattering of fresh thyme and cracked pepper, resulting in a savory/sweet union that is downright decadent. I love a little palate tickler, the play of fresh herbs with fruit and the dance of spice to tie it all together. You simply must try these this time of year!

Roasted Summer Fruit Toasts
serves 4

4-6 slices crusty bread, toasted
1 cup whole milk ricotta
2 cups sliced summer fruit (cherries, grapes, nectarines, anything will do)
a drizzle of olive oil
pinch of brown sugar
pinch of sea salt
fresh thyme
honey

Preheat oven to 425 °.  Toss fruit in glug of olive oil, brown sugar and salt. Roast for 20 minutes, until fruit is juicy and has taken on a golden color.

In a broiler, toast up the bread to a golden brown. Spread 2-3 tablespoons ricotta on each toast, cover with fruits, drizzle with honey and garnish with fresh thyme. Season with salt and pepper to taste.