COLD

Ricotta with Pesto, Lettuce and Grilled Veggies

This is a summer version of our sandwich, Pesto Melt with Taleggio and Grilled Veggies (see recipe) and it reminds me of when I was a kid in Australia. I used to go to the beach and there were surf shacks that served smoothies and these kinds of veggie sandwiches. I always loved them. Pesto had already become such a staple that it was no longer just Italian, it was used in all kinds of bohemian dishes. Here, creamy, mild ricotta plays off the robust and aromatic flavours of the pesto. This is also great on focaccia, or follow the steps for making it as a wrap in our Avocado with Wasabi Mayo, Grilled Veggies and Red Onion (see recipe).

Ingredients

6 tablespoons ricotta, preferably sheep-milk

200 g (7 oz) mixed grilled and marinated vegetables (see recipes)

4 tablespoons Pesto (see recipe)

2 handfuls baby-leaf lettuce

salt and black pepper

Method

Slice your bread in half. Spread the ricotta on one half with the veggies on top, arranging them in alternate layers. Season with salt and pepper to taste, and top with lettuce. Spread the pesto on the other piece of bread, and put both halves together.