makes 6 crostini
Why peas? Well, they’re the girls’ favorite vegetable, so whenever I see them at the market, my mind wanders to thoughts of Isabella and Virginia. Thankfully this recipe comes together easily, regardless of how much sleep you’ve gotten. I originally made this just as the winter ice was thawing, and used some peas I’d frozen form last year’s harvest. You can simply swap in the fresh peas now available at farmers’ markets.
p.s. You’ll notice this recipe has specific Cuisinart product mentions. It was created for their blog, and has a little back story too. Go read my original post if you want to learn a bit about my inspiration for this recipe.
Makes 6 pieces
1 cup (4 ounces) frozen peas
3 tablespoons (14 grams) freshly grated Parmeggiano-Reggiano cheese
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 basil leaf, chopped
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Six 1/2-inch thick slices of baguette
Preheat your Cuisinart Griddler, or use a grill pan set over medium heat.
Combine the peas with 1 cup of water in a microwave-safe bowl. Cook for 1 1/2 minutes until peas are heated through (you can alternately do this in a small pot on the stove top). Drain peas and add them to a medium bowl. Mash peas with a fork until the skins pop. Stir in the olive oil, cheese, basil and pepper; set aside.
Add the bread slices to your Cuisinart Griddler and press them into thin flat pieces of toast, or place them in the grill pan and toast lightly on both sides. Spread an event amount of the pea mixture on top of each warm slice of bread. Serve immediately.