Broad Bean, Pea, Mint, Viola & Sheep's Cheese Toasts

Broad Bean, Pea, Mint, Viola & Sheep's Cheese Toasts

It was a picture-perfect spring day in the countryside, with blossom and blooms everywhere. The farm was to be the backdrop for a party I was hosting to celebrate a friend's forthcoming nuptials. I remember so clearly thinking about how to capture her spirit in the menu for the day, so I set upon an idea that every dish should be bursting with colour, florals and fresh flavours. And so these delicious, delicate toasts were born. We have since made these special toasts to celebrate weddings, engagements, new babies and many other joyful moments.

Ingredients

Spring · Serves Makes 8

  • 110g (4oz)

    broad beans

  • 150g (5½oz)

    peas

  • zest and juice of ½ unwaxed lemon

  • extra virgin olive oil, for drizzling

  • 90g (3¼oz)

    sheep's cheese

  • 1 bunch

    mint

  • 4 slices

    sourdough bread

  • 1–2

    garlic cloves, peeled

  • a small handful

    viola flowers

  • flaky sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Buy available ingredients
Recipe image

Method

Place a pan of cold salted water over a high heat and bring to the boil. Tip in the broad beans and peas and simmer for around 1 minute. Lift them out with a slotted spoon and plunge them straight into cold water. Drain well and pat dry.

Pod the broad beans, removing the bitter outer skin, leaving you with bright green beans. Tip most of the podded beans and peas into a mixing bowl, reserving a few to garnish the toasts later. Add a pinch of salt and pepper, the lemon zest and juice, a small drizzle of olive oil and most of the sheep's cheese, again reserving a little for garnish. Using the back of a fork, carefully press the peas and beans, mashing them and mixing them with the other ingredients while still holding onto some of their texture.

Roughly chop the mint, reserving a few whole leaves for garnish, then mix the chopped mint with the smashed beans.

Drizzle the sourdough bread with a little olive oil, then toast on a hot griddle pan or a barbecue. Once golden and crisp, rub a garlic clove over the toasts and slice to size.

Pile up the toasts with the smashed peas and beans and drizzle with a little more olive oil. Garnish them with the reserved whole peas, beans, crumbled sheep's cheese and mint leaves, and add some viola flowers.

Serve on a pretty platter with a glass of something fresh and sparkling.
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