French Toast, Peach, Ricotta and Prosciutto

By Dana Sims on February 16, 2021 in Food

A well deserved weekend treat. Photo: Dana Sims, @stone_and_twine

Here is an easy recipe for a decadent breakfast or brunch for four. French toast is a classic, and I’ve added some delicious summer ingredients here to make this dish even more impressive.
You can make use of leftover bread or go with something sweeter like a brioche loaf. Stone fruit is still in season and peaches are perfectly sweet at this time of year. Lemony ricotta and crispy, salty prosciutto are also a great addition. Finish it off with a few fresh basil leaves. This is definitely a well-deserved weekend treat.

Ingredients
White loaf of bread or brioche
3 eggs, lightly beaten
½ cup milk
1 tsp vanilla essence
1 tbsp caster sugar
25gm unsalted butter
8 slices of prosciutto
250 gm fresh ricotta
Zest of 1 lemon
Juice of ½ lemon
Fresh basil leaves

Roasted peaches
3 yellow peaches, quartered and pitted
½ tsp brown sugar
1 tsp honey
1 tbsp melted butter

Method
1. Preheat the oven to 180°C. On an oven tray lined with baking paper, place the peaches. Sprinkle over the brown sugar and coat with the honey and melted butter (this will caramelise the peaches as they roast). Cook for 20 minutes or until tender and coloured.
2. Meanwhile, combine the eggs, milk, vanilla essence and caster sugar in a bowl. Cut the bread into 4 thick slices and dip in the mixture to coat generously. Heat a pan to medium and add the butter. Once the butter is melted, add two slices of bread, cooking on each side for 1-2 minutes until golden brown. Remove them from the pan and keep warm in the oven. Repeat this step with the remaining two slices of bread.
3. In the same pan, cook the slices of prosciutto for 1 minute on each side. Remove and drain on paper towel.
4. Mix the ricotta, lemon zest and lemon juice in a small bowl.
5. Remove the peaches and French toast from the oven, ready to plate.
6. To assemble the dish, place one piece of the toast on each plate, then two pieces of prosciutto, several quarters of peach, and top with a generous amount of the lemony ricotta. Sprinkle over a few fresh basil leaves and spoon over any juices from the tray the peaches were roasting in.

Dana Sims is a Sydney-based food and prop stylist who has grown up in the Eastern Suburbs and loves to create delicious food for entertaining and family. She is inspired by the fresh produce we have access to here in Sydney. For ideas, recipes and styling inspiration, check out her Instagram, @stone_and_twine.