Good, crusty bread and frozen sweet peas make this pea bruschetta a quick, elegant appetizer or snack — just top with creamy ricotta and grated pecorino cheese.
I crave bread every day. Ideally, that bread has a dark, chewy crust and the inside is dense, moist and full of flavor. Do you know what I’m talking about?
With bread like that, the best thing to do is keep it simple, which means eating it as is, or making this sweet pea bruschetta. Pea bruschetta make perfect spring or summer snacks or appetizers when friends come over.
The toppings on this easy elegant bruschetta are simple — be sure to use creamy whole milk ricotta and fresh mint.
Fresh pea season is such a brief event that frozen peas are usually the ones I turn to. And you know what? Frozen peas are often even better than fresh ones. Sometimes after all the work of shucking fresh peas, I find them starchy, hard and not very sweet.
To dress these bruschetta up even more, try grating fresh lemon zest over the ricotta before spreading it on the toasted bread. Serve pea bruschetta as an appetizer or with bowl or soup or big salad.
sweet pea bruschetta with ricotta, pecorino cheese and mint
Prep
Cook
Inactive
Total
Yield 4 servings
Serve the bruschetta sliced in half to make appetizer-size servings.
Substitute fresh basil for the mint.
Ingredients
- 1 cup whole milk ricotta cheese
- 1 cup shelled peas, fresh or frozen
- Kosher salt
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Fresh ground black pepper
- 4 ¾-inch thick slices crusty bread
- 1 garlic clove
- Handful fresh mint leaves, sliced thin
- 2 ounce chunk Pecorino Romano cheese
Instructions
- Drain the ricotta for about 30 minutes in a fine mesh colander or cheesecloth-lined strainer set over a bowl.
- Bring a small saucepan of water to a boil; add a tablespoon of salt and the peas. Cook 1 or 2 minutes; drain and transfer to a bowl. Mash the peas to a coarse consistency using a potato masher or wooden spoon along with 2 or 3 tablespoons olive oil, pepper and more salt to taste.
- Heat a griddle or grill to medium high heat. Brush the bread on both sides with olive oil and toast until dark golden brown on both sides. Remove the toasted bread from the griddle and scrape the garlic clove over the tops.
- Spread some ricotta over the bread, sprinkle with mint and spoon some peas over. Use a vegetable peeler to shave Pecorino cheese over each bruschetta. Drizzle with olive oil before serving warm or at room temperature
Courses appetizer
Cuisine vegetables
Hi there! I’m Karen, a mother of two and a professionally trained cook certified in holistic nutrition.
As the recipe developer, photographer and publisher of Familystyle Food, I share recipes and tips for making easy seasonal meals that are healthy and flavorful. Learn more about me here.
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laura (Tutti dolci) says
April 29, 2013 at 6:17 pmThese toppings are perfection, so lovely for spring!
Karen says
April 30, 2013 at 7:17 amThanks Laura. I’m savoring spring in many ways 😉
Deborah Dowd says
April 29, 2013 at 6:31 pmThis just sounds like spring.Beautiful photos as well!
Karen says
April 30, 2013 at 7:18 amThank you Deborah!
Lisa says
April 29, 2013 at 6:33 pmI agree with Laura– perfection!
Karen says
April 30, 2013 at 7:18 amI appreciate that Lisa! Cheers.
Kankana says
April 29, 2013 at 10:37 pmBruschetta is one of my fav snack bite. The topping sounds so spring like and the addition of ricotta is extremely refreshing!
Karen says
April 30, 2013 at 7:19 amHi Kankana – I love ricotta too, on just about anything. My next project is making some at home.
Roberta says
May 10, 2013 at 4:59 amI have this kind of project too!
Being italian, I use ricotta from starters to desserts…
Roberta
Adri says
April 29, 2013 at 11:08 pmI love peas and mint. And ricotta. And bruschetta. I make something similar, but I make a pea puree and put it atop bruschetta. Have you ever tried Pecorino Toscano? It is really wonderful.
Congratulations on a beautiful post. It looks like spring, and your photography and styling are, as always, beautiful. Complimenti, amica!
Karen says
April 30, 2013 at 7:26 amAdri, your version sounds like something I’d be happy to taste 🙂
I try to bring home Pecorino Toscano whenever I find it. We lack great cheesemongers here, but once in a while my Whole Foods will have it – happiness! The Pecorino I’m using now actually comes from Costco. It’s much younger – less sharp – and creamier in texture than the dry pieces I normally get for grating. I’m enjoying it, as it reminds me of a Toscano.
Grazie!
Eileen says
April 30, 2013 at 11:44 amThis sounds like the springiest appetizer ever! Now I know what to do with the mint that’s been popping up in my garden. 🙂
Chung-Ah | Damn Delicious says
May 2, 2013 at 2:19 amThese are just gorgeous! And so perfect for spring!
Sarah@strawberryplum says
May 2, 2013 at 7:14 amI made really similar crostini recently. Mine had prosciutto involved, as well. http://www.strawberryplum.com/pea-ricotta-prosciutto-crostini/ They’re such a simple and tasty spring appetizer!
Laura says
May 2, 2013 at 7:46 amThese look delicious! I love the combination of peas and ricotta – it just screams Spring!
Marta @ What should I eat for breakfast today says
May 6, 2013 at 4:38 pmI had a similar sandwich and it was truly delicious. Pea in a sandwich is a good treat.
Karen says
May 6, 2013 at 8:12 pmMarta, I hadn’t seen peas used in a sandwich until I enjoyed the brushetta at A16 – you have great ideas.
Roberta says
May 10, 2013 at 4:56 amHi Karen; you’ve got a really nice blog.
And this recipe… it’s really my kind of food!
It tastes spring!
Have a nice day
Roberta