Pea, mint and lemon crostini

Serves - 4 as a starter or nibble

You’ll need

• 200g peas, fresh or frozen
• 1 small garlic clove
• Zest of 1 lemon
• Juice of ½ lemon
• Small handful mint leaves
• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, plus extra for the bread
• 1 small baguette or 8 slices of ciabatta
• Sea salt
• Black pepper

Method

1. Get the peas ready

Cook the peas in boiling salted water for 2–3 minutes until just tender, then drain and run under cold water to keep them bright. You want them fresh and lively, not dulled into submission.

2. Make the pea topping

Put the peas into a bowl or food processor with the garlic, lemon zest, lemon juice, mint, extra virgin olive oil, a pinch of salt and a good grind of black pepper. Blitz briefly or crush with a fork until you have a rough, vibrant mixture. It wants to be somewhere between smashed and spreadable, not turned into baby food.

3. Toast the bread

Heat the oven to 200°C fan, or use a grill if that is easier. Slice the baguette or ciabatta, brush the pieces lightly with olive oil, then toast for 6–8 minutes until golden and crisp at the edges. If you fancy, rub them lightly with the cut side of an extra clove of garlic while still warm.

4. Build the crostini

Spoon the pea mixture generously onto the toasted bread. Let it sit a little proudly on top rather than flattening it down too much. This is not the moment for restraint.

5. Finish properly

Give each crostini a final drizzle of olive oil and, if it needs it, a tiny extra squeeze of lemon juice or pinch of salt. A last bit of black pepper over the top would not hurt either.

6. Serve

Serve straight away while the bread still has some crunch and the topping is bright and fresh. Very good as a starter, with drinks, or as part of a bigger spread when the table needs something sharp and green.

A couple of helpful notes

- Frozen peas work perfectly well here, which makes this a very useful thing to have in your back pocket.
- If the pea mixture feels too thick, loosen it with a tiny splash more olive oil or lemon juice.
- A few chopped toasted almonds on top would work very nicely if you want a bit more texture.