Toast with Egg and Ricotta-Pumpkin Cream

Ingredients

Cooking Instructions

1. Start by preparing the pumpkin. Wash the pumpkin, cut off a small piece, and remove the skin and seeds. You can wrap the remaining pumpkin in plastic wrap and store it in the refrigerator.

   

2. Cut the pumpkin into small, evenly sized pieces (this is important to ensure they bake evenly). I ended up with about 200 grams of peeled pumpkin flesh in total. Place the pieces in an ovenproof dish with a lid (I used a ceramic one, but a glass dish will work as well).

   

3. Cover the bowl with a lid and place it in the microwave to bake. I cooked the pumpkin for about 5 minutes at 900 watts. If you have less pumpkin or a less powerful microwave, the cooking time will vary (the less pumpkin and the higher the power, the less time you’ll need, and vice versa). I recommend checking for doneness every minute—take it out when the pumpkin is completely soft. Don’t overcook it, or it will become dry!

   

4. Let the cooked pumpkin cool slightly, then puree it with an immersion blender. Depending on the variety of pumpkin, the consistency of the puree may vary (mine turned out quite thick).

   To make 2 toasts, you will need 30-40 grams of pumpkin puree. You can transfer the remaining puree to a glass jar with a lid or an airtight container and store it in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days.

   

5. In a separate bowl, place 30–40 grams of pumpkin puree and 30 grams of ricotta cheese. Since my pumpkin puree turned out quite thick, I added 1 tablespoon of 10% cream (if your pumpkin is more watery, you can skip the cream). Add spices to taste: salt, ground hot chili pepper, and paprika.

   

6. Using a whisk or mixer, beat everything until smooth. Next, I transferred the resulting pumpkin cream into a piping bag to neatly pipe it onto the toast. However, you can skip this step and simply spread the cream with a knife.

   

7. We’ve finished making the cream, so now it’s time to cook the eggs and make the toast. Start with the eggs—they need to be soft-boiled.

   I’ve already described in detail how to boil eggs and for how long, but I recently learned another great method: place the eggs in a small saucepan and add just a little water (about half the height of your pinky finger). Put the pan over high heat and bring the water to a boil. Then cover the saucepan with a lid and reduce the heat to low (the water should be gently simmering). Set a timer: cook large eggs for 5 minutes, and smaller ones for 4 minutes.

   

8. At the same time, toast the pumpkin seeds in a separate skillet over medium heat until golden brown.

   

9. When the eggs are done boiling, quickly transfer them to ice water for 30 seconds. Then peel them right away. They’ll still be a bit warm, but this way they’re quick and easy to peel, and they’ll finish cooking to the perfect consistency. The result: perfect soft-boiled eggs.

   

10. Now toast the bread for your toasts. Take your favorite white bread (I used ciabatta) and slice it into thick pieces. In a skillet over medium heat, melt a little butter and fry the bread slices on both sides until golden brown. Make sure all the butter is absorbed by the bread!

    

11. Finally, assemble the toasts. Spread the slightly cooled bread with the pumpkin and cheese cream. Sprinkle roasted pumpkin seeds on top and add the egg. Finish with a pinch of paprika or chili pepper. As a side, serve arugula dressed with a little oil. Cut into the egg and enjoy! Bon appétit!