Broadbean CropShare #1: Crisped mint broad bean crostini with Feta mash
This week we are participating in a crop share project by Global Gardens in Cardiff. One of our director’s Lia has been given a crop of broad beans, pods/beans and leaves to cook with! She is publishing a blog about what this crop share meant to her and what to do with beans on the Global Gardens Website News Section. Here is the first recipe she made for this project.
Crisp mint broad beans with Feta mash on Crostini (for three slices)
We have been baking a lot of sourdough bread at home. When it goes stale we love slicing what is left very thinly and making crispy crostini to add seasonal toppings. For the Crostini all you need is finely sliced bread (up to 2cm) brushed with olive oil and toasted on a really hot non stick pan. Now for the topping.
Ingredients (three portions)
- 100g shelled and double podded green broad beans
- 6gr fresh mint leaves (any kind)
- 15g butter (roughly a Tbsp.)
- Pinch of salt
- 100gr Feta cheese
- 30ml Extra virgin olive oil
- ½ tsp. freshly ground pepper
Method
- For the Feta mash: mash the feta, olive oil and pepper in a bowl until creamy. Set aside.
- You will need around 300g broad beans in pods to yield 100g double podded beans.
- Remove the bean seeds from the pod. Keep the pods aside to make delicious fritters on the same day.
- Blanche the beans in boiling water for at least 3 minutes. Cool and remove the shell. Here is how to do it.
- Melt the butter in a non-stick pan .
- Before it browns add the whole (washed) mint leaves and crisp up on medium heat for a minute or two.
- Before the leaves brown add the shelled and separated beans, a pinch of salt and stir well.
- On each crostini spread a medium thick layer of the Feta mash and top with some beans.
Lia's Kitchen 