White Peaches, Pistachios, Honey and Ricotta
When white peaches are in season (which seems to only last about five minutes in New York), nothing is more truly summer than the one perfect peach I have every year. Once they start showing up in the farmers' market I greedily buy them, and while I enjoy every white peach I eat, I really only ever have one perfect peach a year. When I find it, I scream and jump for joy – it’s pure hedonistic indulgence. Luckily all those less-than-perfect-but-still-delicious peaches have value, too. There is a lovely, traditional Catalan dessert called mel i mató, just fresh cheese drizzled with honey. Sometimes it might have fruit, too, but usually it’s just cheese and honey. This is a little homage to the perfect peach by way of Catalunya. Using a sharp mandoline to slice the peaches gives you sweet slivers that fall off like flower petals. She loves me, she loves me not...
Ingredients
- 2-3 firm white peaches, plus a yellow one
- Juice of 1 lemon
- 1 pound fresh ricotta cheese
- 4 tablespoons honey
- 1/4 cup shelled pistachios, toasted in a dry, hot pan for 30 seconds
- 2 tablespoons fruity olive oil
Preparation
Quarter and pit the peaches, then slice into thin curls on a mandoline. Toss with the lemon juice in a bowl.
Divide the ricotta among four dessert bowls, drizzle a tablespoon honey on each and toss on a handful of toasted pistachios. Top each with a few curls of the peach slices and a drizzle of olive oil and serve.
