I love making even the simplest of happy hours at home still feel special–whether it’s by opening our favorite bottle of wine or trying a new recipe. Looking through my cookbooks while Rex naps always fills me with inspiration and makes me wish I had more time to spend in the kitchen. I’ve been bookmarking a number of summer dishes to try and make, and while my sister was in town this past weekend I threw together a simple pea crostini that was quite the hit (even with Rex who rarely eats peas!). Picking up fresh peas and blanching them just ever so slightly made all the difference, giving so much flavor to these toasty bites! Also extra lemon juice, garlic and a hint of mint–was so yum! Recipe below!
Easy Pea Crostini’s
for the pea mixture ::
1 cup of fresh shelled peas (you can use frozen but fresh peas are extra delicious!)
1 clove of garlic, finely minced
a few mint leaves (about 5 – 6) finely chopped
juice of 1/2 lemon
zest of 1/2 lemon (optional)
salt and pepper to taste
for assembly ::
1 baguette, sliced into rounds and toasted
goat cheese
red pepper flakes to top
directions –
1. bring a small pot of water up to a boil on the stove. add the fresh-shelled peas into the water and blanch for about 2 – 3 minutes. The peas shouldn’t take too long to cook through, but you want them to keep their green color and a little texture. Remove from water and shock in ice water to keep color. Drain and set aside in a small mixing bowl.
2. To the mixing bowl, add the finely minced garlic, mint leaves, lemon juice and zest, and salt and pepper. Toss to combine, taste and adjust as needed and to preferred tastes.
3. To assemble, add a slather of goat cheese to one of the toasted baguette slices and add a spoonful of the pea mixture. add a dash of red pepper flakes (optional) and extra sliced mint if desired. enjoy!
This is a super easy recipe to adjust based on what kind of flavors you prefer!