La Cucina di Ciro
Bruschetta topped with a lemon ricotta pesto, topped with thinly sliced gravalax, crushed black pepper and olive tapenade

For the gravalax:
One side of fresh salmon – filleted with the skin on
100g castor sugar
100g chopped fresh dill
Zest of 2 lemons
1 Tbs (15ml) coarse salt
150ml freshly squeezed lemon juice
Crushed black pepper

Note:
Ask your local fishmonger to fillet and clean one side of salmon and remove the hair bones with tweezers. Make sure that they only use the freshest of fish

Method:
Mix together castor sugar, dill and zest in a mixing bowl
Place the side of salmon on a piece of tin foil, rub the salt and dill mixture into the fish
Pour over the lemon juice and sprinkle with black pepper
Wrap the fish in the tin foil and place in the fridge
Allow to cure in the fridge for 48 hours
Before serving, allow the salmon to stand out for a while and then slice thinly
 
For the bruschetta: – use old bread (2 days would be good)
Thinly slice the bread and brush with olive oil and garlic and toast under the grill till brown.

For the ricotta pesto:
100g fresh ricotta
1 tsp (5ml) fresh chopped garlic
Bunch of fresh basil leaves
Handful roasted pine nuts

In a pestle and mortar, mix together all the ingredients ( except the ricotta ) adding a little salt to taste. When you have a good crunchy consistency mix in the ricotta.

Spread the pesto on the bruschetta and place the very thinly sliced gravalax on top  and enjoy