Gilda Martinis & Pan con Tomate Anchovy Toasties

Ingredients

• Sourdough bread, or crusty country bread, cut into thick fingers
• a generous drizzle Extra-virgin olive oil, for pan-frying the bread
• 1 Garlic, for rubbing the warm bread
• 2–3 Ripe tomato, for grating
• a little Extra-virgin olive oil, for seasoning the tomato pulp
• Flaky sea salt, for seasoning the tomato pulp
• 475 ml Ricotta, whole-milk, for the whipped topping
• ½ Lemon, juiced for the ricotta
• 4.9–10 ml Honey, for the whipped topping
• Anchovy fillet, packed in olive oil, for topping the toasties
• Chives, for finishing the toasties
• 1 Lemon, zested for finishing the toasties
• Black pepper, freshly cracked, for finishing the toasties
• a drizzle Extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling over the finished toasties
• 110 g Gin, or vodka
• 43 g Guindilla pepper brine
• 21 g Dry vermouth
• 14 g Olive brine
• 2 Anchovy fillet, oil-packed, for the Gilda garnishes
• 2 Green olive, like Castelvetrano, for the Gilda garnishes
• 2 Guindilla pepper, pickled, for the Gilda garnishes
• Ice, for shaking the martinis

Method

1. 01

   Chill 2 Nick & Nora glasses

   Place the glasses in the freezer while you prepare the food and drinks, or fill them with ice and water until thoroughly cold. Empty them just before pouring so the martinis stay crisp and properly chilled.

2. 02

   Skewer the Gilda garnishes

   Thread an oil-packed anchovy fillet, a pickled guindilla pepper, and a green olive onto each cocktail pick. Keep the garnishes ready beside the shaker so they can go straight onto the chilled drinks at service.

3. 03

   Pan-fry and garlic-rub the bread

   Cut the bread into thick fingers and pan-fry it in the olive oil until both sides are golden and crisp but still easy to bite. While the bread is warm, lightly rub each piece with the cut side of the garlic clove.

4. 04

   Grate and season the tomatoes

   Grate the tomatoes on the large holes of a box grater, letting the skins stay behind. Stir the juicy pulp with a little olive oil and flaky salt, tasting for a bright, savory balance before spooning it onto the bread.

5. 05

   Whip the lemon-honey ricotta

   Whip the whole-milk ricotta with the lemon juice and honey until it is light, smooth, and noticeably aerated rather than merely blended. Transfer it to a piping bag, a snipped zip-top bag, or a parchment cone for topping.

6. 06

   Build the anchovy toasties

   Spoon the tomato pulp onto the warm garlic-rubbed bread, then pipe or dollop on the whipped ricotta. Lay an anchovy fillet over each toast, and finish with chives, lemon zest, cracked black pepper, and a drizzle of good olive oil.

7. 07

   Shake the Gilda Martinis

   Add the gin or vodka, both brines, and the dry vermouth to a cocktail shaker filled with ice. Shake hard until the shaker is frosty and the drink is super-cold; use freezer-cold spirit too if you want the iciest result.

8. 08

   Serve the martinis with the toasties

   Single-strain the martini for a few ice chips or double-strain it for a clean, crisp finish. Divide it between the chilled glasses, garnish each with a Gilda, and serve alongside the toasties while the bread is still crisp.

Note

The martini ingredient card lists a single garnish set, but the method says to garnish every glass; assemble a Gilda for each glass so all drinks are finished. The drink itself is listed at 5 minutes; allow extra time for the toasties.