Afrim Pristine — of the city's famed Cheese Boutique — is curating the grilling tent at this year's Toronto Festival of Beer. Ahead of it, we've asked him for one of his favourite grilled recipes. It comes courtesy of the shop's executive chef Basilio Pesce and the results may surprise you... Grilled dessert anyone?
Make This: Cheese Boutique's Buffalo Ricotta and Strawberry Pound Cake
This grilled dessert comes courtesy of the Cheese Boutique's executive chef Basilio Pesce and the results may surprise you.
Serves 4
Preparation time 20 minutes
Cooking time 10 minutes
Ingredients
- 1 pint Ontario strawberries
- 1 small lemon pound cake cut into finger thick slices
- 1 cup buffalo ricotta cheese
- 2 Tbsp 35 percent cream
- 1 Tbsp sugar
- 1 Tbsp honey
- Extra virgin olive oil to taste
- Aged balsamic vinegar to taste
- Fresh basil leaves finely chopped for garnish
Method
- Begin by slicing strawberries into random shapes, dust with sugar, stir gently and reserve.
- Slice poundcake into 1-inch thick slices.
- Grill on an oiled medium heat grill for 1-2 minutes per side. Set aside.
- In a medium bowl, mix ricotta with honey and 35 per cent cream. Mix well.
- To assemble your dish, place dollops of ricotta on a flat plate. Place pieces of grilled pound cake on top of ricotta and cover with strawberries and leftover juice.
- Garnish with a drizzle of olive oil, aged balsamic, a few cracks of fresh black pepper and fresh basil leaves.
Catch Afrim Pristine along with a roster of other rockstar Toronto chefs including Cory Vitiello, Michael Hunter, Craig Harding and Amanda Ray on June 22nd to 24th at Toronto's Festival of Beer. Grab your tickets here (and you can use code FOODISM for $5 off!)
