This dish has us shaking our heads in disbelief.  One bite, and now we actually crave kale on a sandwich.  Those chewy, ultra healthy leaves.  What just happened?

This is an improvised version of my friend Lauren’s killer, kale-topped, lemon-ricotta toast—our current go-to lunch-dinner-late-night-snack favorite.  Lauren is one of my inspirations in the kitchen—a busy doctor who somehow carves out time to lovingly tend cabbage roses, bake moist cake with a tender crumb, can jars of sweet homemade jam (from her backyard trees, of course), transform sautéed kale into tasty bites—and talk intelligently about any number of interesting topics, all the while.  Move over Martha.

Any sandwich this special has earned a bit of flourish in its name—even a self-important swagger on the plate.  Though in truth, a tartine is nothing more than an open-faced sandwich.  To be precise, a French one.

The proportions here rely on taste, since that’s how Lauren does it.  Don’t be afraid to dip a spoon in, see what you think and adjust to your personal preference.  Be sure to use fresh ricotta—as opposed to the processed, supermarket variety.

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