Goodbye Spring - Hello Summer!

We have had some great weather this week in Sydney confirming that the beginning of summer is most definitely upon us! Although the start of the warmer weather also means that we have to say goodbye to the wonderful produce of spring - including my favourites, fresh peas and broad beans. Now I am probably a bit late in posting this - broad beans are much better at the beginning of spring and more readily available, but perhaps it can be a recipe to put aside for next year?!

We saw Jamie Oliver make this on his TV show "Jamie at Home" and knew we would have to give it a try as it has too many of my favourite things in it. As a kid I could not understand how my Dad could love broad beans so much, but now I completely understand his fascination with them. They are so sweet (the small early season ones anyway - the large ones are a bit floury!) and definitely moreish.

We ate this many times over spring - everytime we saw some nice looking broad beans at the market. Teamed with an icy cold beer, it makes a wonderful weekend lunch.

Jamie's Incredible smashed peas and broad beans on toast

Serves 4

around 500g fresh peas (about 150g shelled weight)

around 700g fresh broad beans (about 250g shelled weight)

small bunch of fresh mint leaves

extra virgin olive oil

around 50g grated parmigiano reggiano

juice of one lemon

4 slices of bread of your choice (I have used herbed bread and a sourdough and both were great)

1 clove of garlic, unpeeled and cut in half

cheese of choice (buffalo mozzarella, bocconcini or ricotta)
sea salt and black pepper

Pod the peas and double shell the broad beans.

In a large mortar and pestle or do it in batches in a small one), bash up half the mint with the peas and a pinch of salt. Add the broad beans, a couple at a time and crush to a thick green paste.

Mash in a few tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil, then stir in most of the parmigiano. If the mixture is a bit thick, add a little more oil. Add about 1/2 to 3/4 of the lemon juice. At this point, taste the mixture and adjust it to your taste using the remainder of the ingredients. Add some pepper here too if you wish.

Toast the bread (I like to do it on a griddle pan to give it a smokey flavour), and then rub the cut side of the garlic once or twice over each slice.

If you are using mozzarella or bocconcini, thickly spread the bean and pea mixture over the toast and top with torn pieces of cheese. Otherwise, spread the toast with ricotta and then add a generous amount of the pea/bean mix. Drizzle with olive oil if desired and serve.

With bocconcini on sourdough

or ricotta on fresh herb bread

Now, bring on summer and the beautiful tomatoes!

Recipe from Jamie at Home, by Jamie Oliver. Page 156