I am continuing on my quest to create new recipes for the amazing spring vegetables I am finding at the local street markets here in Italy. I already had prepared fava bean purée in my refrigerator and although I used most of my baby peas in a risotto, I still had some leftover I wanted to find a good use for. I love really good ricotta cheese, one that is rich and creamy and preferably made by hand. Here in Italy I can find ricotta di pecora, or sheep’s milk ricotta that is different from the usual cow’s milk version, still light and creamy, but with just a little more flavor for my taste. I decided to mix some ricotta di percora with some peas that had been blanched tender crisp to slather onto crisp, grilled bruschetta. To enhance the fresh flavor I added a little dollop of my delicious fava bean purée on top. Add to that a drizzle of really young extra virgin olive oil and some cracked black pepper and you have a delicious, light appetizer that celebrates spring.

Serves 4
by Deborah Mele

2 Cups Ricotta Cheese (Full Fat, Sheep’s Ricotta If Possible)

1 Cup Baby Peas Blanched Tender Crisp

1 Tablespoon Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Dash of Salt & Pepper

1/4 Cup Fava Bean Purée

2 Tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Cracked Black Pepper

For Bruschetta:

8 Slices Crusty Baguette Type Bread

2 Tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Mix together the ricotta, peas, 1 tablespoon olive oil. Season lightly with salt and pepper. Grill or broil the bread slices until lightly browned. Brush with olive oil. Spoon a little of the ricotta mixture on each bread slice and spread. Spoon a dollop of the fava bean purée on each slice, then drizzle with the last of the olive oil. Finally, sprinkle each bruschetta with some cracked black pepper and serve.