Happy St. Patrick’s Day! While all of my recipes this month have featured “greens” (link), today I am trying to eat ONLY green things – because what better way to entertain oneself during a pandemic than with silly, personal challenges such as eating all foods of the same color for an entire day, in the name of a holiday. Breakfast felt obvious with a green smoothie and dinner will likely be some type of sautéed cabbage and mint-chocolate ice cream so that only leaves lunch and snacks – and this recipe for spring pea crostini will satisfy either. In all seriousness, both my fiancé and my toddler loved this recipe – my toddler even got involved in the cooking portion and helped mash. It’s fresh and flavorful, easy and healthy. To quote my fiancé – “I’ve really got to start eating peas more often, wow!” I hope you will agree!
Spring Pea Crostini
Prep Time: 20 min
Makes: 12 crostini
Base
- 1 BAGUETTE, CUT INTO SLICES
- 1 TBS OLIVE OIL
- SALT AND PEPPER AS NEEDED
Toppings
- 1 LB. SHELLED PEAS
- 4-5 SPRIGS MINT, CHOPPED
- 10-15 SHOOTS OF CHIVES, CHOPPED
- 4 RADISHES, SLICED INTO THIN STRIPS
- 1/3 CUP CRUMBLED FETA
- 1 TBS OLIVE OIL
- 1 TBS LEMON JUICE
- SALT AND PEPPER AS NEEDED
Directions
- Heat oven to 350. Brush each baguette slice with a bit of olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place on a baking sheet, bake in the oven for 8-10 mins until crispy but not browned.
- Cook the peas. Boil just enough water to cover the peas by a quarter-inch or so. Do not salt the water as the peas will get tough. Boil for 2-3 minutes and drain to stop the cooking process.
- Combine all of the “topping” ingredients, including cooked peas into a large bowl or the bottom of a food processor. Mash by hand or coarsely chop in the food processor to desired consistency. I mash by hand as I like it chunky enough to individually see and taste each ingredient.
- Tasting as you mix, toss with more olive oil, lemon juice, and salt and pepper, as needed.
- Top each crostini piece with 2-3 heaping tablespoons of pea mixture, serve at room temperature.
Notes
- This time of year, fresh peas should start to be available at the grocery store and farmer’s market. In a pinch, frozen peas will work fine. If using frozen, cook to package directions during step 2.
- If you don’t like or don’t have on hand one of the ingredients, simply leave out or substitute – for instance, a ricotta salata would work in place of the feta but I would use the salata version since it’s drier than traditional ricotta OR cut back on the olive oil; green onions would work in place of chives. I will note, I particularly enjoy the mint in this recipe as it adds another layer of “refreshing” on to the peas and while some people don’t typically like radishes, when they are cut this thin, they serve to add more of a crunchy texture than their usual peppery flavor profile. As with most of my recipes, I encourage you to play around with what suits your liking.
- I am cutting back on carbs so actually ate the topping portion without the bread and loved it just the same. It eats almost like a chopped salad and would be great served over a bed of arugula however, peas are not low-carb themselves, as a starchy “vegetable” (they are technically legumes) they contain quite a few grams of carbs but also provide protein, fiber, and nutrients that carbs from bread won’t provide.
