These smashed pea, dill and feta crostini. The idea is sort of that you make them all together and serve them at once to highlight the contrasts possible with a single ingredient. I considered doing that, but a pound of peas really doesn’t go very far – I’ll have to stock up again before I try the others. But the crostini are very, very good. Lots of flavors all mingled up – sweet, salty, lemony, herbal. I could have easily wolfed down the whole batch in 5 minutes. A beautiful summer evening, with beautiful summer food.

Ingredient of the Week: English Peas // Smashed Pea, Dill, and Feta Crostini

Ingredient of the Week: English Peas // Smashed Pea, Dill, and Feta Crostini

Ingredient of the Week: English Peas // Smashed Pea, Dill, and Feta Crostini

Smashed Pea,  Dill, and Feta Crostini

Serves 4 as an appetizer.

  • 1 garlic clove
  • 2 TBS fresh dill, finely chopped
  • sea salt
  • 5 oz. shelled fresh peas, about 1 cup (from about 1 lb. of peas in their pods)
  • 2 TBS olive oil
  • 1/3 c. crumbled feta cheese
  • 2 TBS freshly grated Parmesan cheese
  • 1 TBS lemon juice
  • 8-10 slices baguette
  1. Place the garlic, dill, and a pinch of sea salt in a mortar and pestle and pound until they form a paste. Scrape into a small bowl and set aside.
  2. Add half of the peas, 1 TBS of the olive oil, and a small pinch of salt to the mortar and pestle and pound to form a paste (you want it to be mostly smooth, but a few chunks of peas is good). Add to the bowl with the garlic. Repeat with the remaining peas and olive oil. Stir the smashed peas and the garlic together until evenly combined. Mix in the feta, Parmesan, and lemon juice, and taste for seasoning, adjusting salt or lemon if necessary.
  3. Toast the slices of bread in a toaster, on a griddle pan, or under the broiler until golden brown. Immediately spread the toast with the pea and feta mixture and serve.

Dining and Cooking