I adore dishes with simple ingredients that you can throw together in minutes, shove in the oven and walk away from - it makes entertaining so much more fun.
My favorite variation on this theme usually involves tomatoes but I've made that so many times I need to give it a rest. I found this combination of roasted grapes, thyme and cheese very appealing and started with this recipe from Alexandra's Kitchen.
Of course, I made a few tweaks because sometimes I can't help myself - either that or I simply cannot follow instructions. Roasting the grapes really brings out the sweetness, which made me think that a more savory contrast would be nice so I added a handful of garlic cloves and mixed in a creamy blue cheese with the ricotta.
For the bread, I simply toasted it in the oven. If you have the time though, I think you should grill it like Alexandra - it adds a lot of flavor and the fancy factor is quite high with those beautiful grill marks.
- lb of seedless grapes
- handful of garlic cloves peeled
- olive oil
- kosher salt
- 5-6 fresh thyme sprigs
- 1/2 cup fresh ricotta + 1/2 a creamy blue cheese like Gorgonzola whipped together
- good rustic bread, sliced into 1/2-inch thick pieces
1. Preheat oven to 450ºF. Spread grapes onto a sheet pan. Drizzle with olive oil. Sprinkle with salt. Lay thyme leaves over top. Toss all together gently with your hands. Place pan in the oven for 7 to 9 minutes or until grapes just begin to burst. I prefer the shorter roasting time — it’s nice when some of the grapes remain in tact.
2. Meanwhile, heat a grill or grill pan to medium-high - or toast in the oven. Brush the bread with olive oil. Grill until nice and toasty. Rub with clove of garlic.