Food Recipes Appetizers Bruschetta + Crostini Crostini with Creamy Ricotta and Chorizo 5.0 (3,105) Add your rating & review Spicy Spanish sausage makes each bite of these toasts pop with flavor. By Shea Gallante Shea Gallante Why Because his unstoppable spirit of experimentation—and his kitchen full of cutting-edge equipment—leads him to create wonderful avant-garde dishes, like a creamy chilled mozzarella soup with basil and apricots. Born Poughkeepsie, NY; 1973. Education The Culinary Institute of America, Hyde Park, NY. Experience Coco Pazzo Teatro, Felidia and Bouley, all in New York City. First big risk Opening a pizza parlor when he was only 19. "I’d been working at a pizzeria, and decided I wanted to be the boss." Most exotic item on his menu Wild yellowtail crudo. "Almost all yellowtail is farm-raised, even the fish that comes in from Japan. The wild yellowtail I get has flavor that’s off the charts. You can’t imagine how good it tastes." Most memorable experience Going to Paris to cook dinner at the George V with David Bouley. "I looked outside in the courtyard and there was Bill Clinton. With David, you’re always on the move; I was there for three days and slept six hours total." Favorite cheap meal Pork and swiss chard dumplings from Tasty Dumpling in Manhattan’s Chinatown. Advice to future cooks Don’t get wrapped up in the industry hype. "Don’t just study a trendy cuisine; when it crashes, you’re sunk." Won Best New Chef at: Cru; New York City Food & Wine's Editorial Guidelines Updated on June 27, 2023 Rate PRINT Share Trending Videos Close this video player Photo: Matt Taylor-Gross / Food Styling by Barrett Washburne Active Time: 30 mins Total Time: 1 hr Servings: 6 "Chorizo is so underused," says chef Shea Gallante about one of his favorite ingredients. Gallante warms the chorizo in a pan to bring out the flavors. Be sure to source Spanish chorizo, which is dried, as opposed to Mexican chorizo, which is a fresh sausage with a different flavor. Here, Gallante contrasts the spicy notes in the Spanish sausage with creamy ricotta cheese for a savory crostini topping that is an elegant addition to any party. This recipe is full of small cheffy techniques that have a big impact. Boiling the balsamic vinegar until it reduces down to a syrup consistency means that each drop is packed with sweet, tangy flavor. The quick-pickled onions add pops of tart brightness to wake up each bite. And rubbing toasted crostini with a clove a garlic imparts just enough flavor onto each slice, as the rough surface of the toasted bread essentially serves as a grater when you run the garlic clove over it. If you want just a hint of garlic, rub very lightly; press harder if you want to amp up the garlic. Ingredients 1 cup fresh ricotta cheese 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for brushing Salt and freshly ground pepper 6 (1/2-inch-thick) slices of Italian peasant bread 2 small garlic cloves, 1 minced 1/4 small red onion, thinly sliced 6 tablespoons balsamic vinegar 3 ounces dry Spanish chorizo, thinly sliced 1 tablespoon chopped tarragon 1 tablespoon chopped parsley 1 small head of frisée, tender white and light green leaves only Directions Place ricotta in a fine sieve set over a bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight. Discard liquid in bowl. Wipe out bowl, add thickened ricotta and stir in 1 tablespoon of the olive oil. Season mixture with salt and pepper. Preheat a grill pan over high heat. Lightly brush both sides of bread slices with oil and grill, turning once, until toasted and golden brown, about 3 minutes. Transfer toasts to a platter and rub them with whole garlic clove. Toss red onion with 2 tablespoons of the balsamic vinegar in a small bowl and let stand for 10 minutes. Drain onion, discarding vinegar. While onion soaks, place the remaining 1/4 cup of balsamic vinegar in a small saucepan over high heat and boil until vinegar has reduced to 1 tablespoon, about 5 minutes. Combine the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil with minced garlic, chorizo, tarragon and parsley in a medium skillet and place over low heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until warmed through, about 5 minutes. Spread ricotta on toasts and top with warm chorizo. Garnish with frisée and pickled onions. Drizzle with reduced balsamic vinegar and serve. Suggested Pairing Pair spicy chorizo with a fruity red, like one from Greece's Nemea region, or a full-bodied white, such as a Chardonnay from Burgundy. Originally appeared: April 2008 Rate It Print