Artichoke Bruschetta

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 2 large trimmed* artichokes (1 1/2 lbs.), sliced thinly
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 5 slices toasted ciabatta bread, cut in half diagonally
• 3/4 cup ricotta
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 2 teaspoons finely grated lemon zest
• 6 basil leaves, thinly sliced

Preparation

1. 1. Heat 3 tbsp. oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Cook artichoke slices, stirring occasionally, until softened and browned, about 4 minutes. Sprinkle with salt.
2. 2. Put toasts on a plate and spread each with ricotta, dividing it evenly. Sprinkle with pepper and zest. Spoon some artichokes onto each slice and top with a bit of basil.
3. *To trim artichokes, snap off thick green outer leaves (about half of them; be ruthless) down to the yellowish core. Halve artichoke crosswise; discard thorny tips. Trim stem to about 1/2 in. and use a vegetable peeler to remove tough outer skin from remaining stem. Halve artichoke lengthwise; use a spoon or the point of a knife to scoop out fuzzy, red-tipped choke. As you work, put trimmed artichokes in cold water mixed with a little lemon juice to prevent oxidation. Set aside until you're ready to cook.
4. Note: Nutritional analysis is per serving.