Marnie Hawson
“If you’ve gone to the trouble of growing or sourcing the best tomatoes, don’t store them in the fridge,” says Alla Wolf-Tasker, executive chef at Daylesford’s Dairy Flat Farm. “Always serve tomatoes at room temperature for maximum flavour.”
Ingredients
House-made ricotta (makes 500gm)
Method
1.For the ricotta, line a large colander with a double layer of damp muslin to generously overhang the sides. Combine milk and buttermilk in a saucepan over medium heat. Bring to 50°C, stirring frequently to prevent burning on the base. Without further stirring, increase heat and bring to the boil. The milk will appear to thicken on the surface, these are the curds forming. Once boiling, remove from heat and set aside (5 minutes).
2.Using a slotted spoon, gently scoop the curds into the muslin-lined colander and allow to drain in the colander until desired consistency (at least 10 minutes). Serve immediately or refrigerate for up to 1 week. (Reserve 150ml of whey for mustard-whey dressing for the [yabby recipe](https://www.gourmettraveller.com.au/recipes/chefs-recipes/yabbies-cucumber-19191|target=”_blank”).)
3.Thinly slice all the tomatoes and layer slices on a serving platter, sprinkling with salt flakes as you go. Set aside for flavours to develop (at least 15 minutes), then season with freshly ground black pepper and drizzle with oil. Top with spoonfuls of ricotta and scatter with herbs and flowers. Serve with sourdough baguette to mop up the delicious juices.
