A crostini recipe that combines the sweetness of spring peas with the zippy freshness of lemon and mint, ‘nduja adds smokiness and a little spice to create the perfect bite. Or, make it a tartine for a quick and easy light spring lunch.
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Springtime green is a very specific green. It’s vibrant and energizing and fleeting. It makes me want to get outside and just drink it in. And also drink some wine. So let’s make something that’s quick and easy, full of spring flavors, and goes perfectly with your wine, so you can get outside sooner and just enjoy all of it.
I found this crostini recipe in How to Eat a Peach by Diana Henry. Right now, this cookbook is my sprit animal, so you might be seeing me make some more things from it coming up soon. Full of recipes that are inspired by her lifetime of travels, they are largely simple and sensible, yet they evoke such visceral, vivid sense memories. I can’t get enough.
You can have peas without spring, but you can’t have spring without peas. Their bright green matches the new leaves on the trees, and they’re the harbingers of all the fresh green vegetables to come as summer approaches. When you combine them with fresh mint and bright lemon, you’ve got some magic on your hands. But what’s this other stuff on top? ‘Nduja?
What is ‘Nduja?
Nduja – pronounced en-DOO-yah – is a spicy, spreadable salami from the Calabria region of Italy. Made with pork and Calabrian chilis, you can add it to charcuterie boards, use it as a pizza topping, melt it into risotto, use in almost any recipe when you want to add a little spice, smoke, and fat. It’s perfect on these crostinis and tartines, providing a spicy contrast to the sweetness of the peas and the brightness of the mint and lemon.
With minimal effort, you can whip up this crostini recipe and be enjoying them al fresco with a glass of wine. Rosé loves a little spice, and spice loves a rosé. So whether you choose to make this recipe as crostinis for evening apps, or tartines for lazy weekend lunches, a light, crisp rosé makes a great complement.
more spring recipes
Crostini with Peas, Mint and Nduja
Adapted from How to Eat a Peach by Diana Henry
How to make crostini:
Turn on the broiler.
Slice bread – for crostinis, about 1/2 inch thick, for tartines, about 1 inch thick, and lay them out on a sheet pan.
Drizzle bread slices with olive oil on both sides.
Place the bread under the broiler until golden brown. This happens very quickly! Don’t walk away. It’s best to leave the oven door cracked open, and monitor closely. When bread has browned on one side, flip it over, and repeat on the other side.
When bread is golden brown, remove from oven and rub slices on one side with the whole clove of garlic. Season with some kosher salt and set aside.
Make the pea and mint topping:
If using fresh peas, blanch them quickly until bright green, then transfer to an ice bath to cool. If using frozen peas, allow them to thaw to room temperature.
In a food processor, add peas, chopped garlic, lemon juice, lemon zest – reserving about 1/2 tsp for garnish, mint leaves, and olive oil. Season with a pinch of salt and cracked black pepper.
Pulse until the mixture is coarse. You don’t want pea pureé.
Spread pea mixture onto toasted bread slices. Break ‘nduja into small pieces, placing 2 – 3 chunks on each slice of bread.
Season with salt and pepper, and top with remaining lemon zest.
Pour yourself some wine and enjoy!
more crostini recipes
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cups fresh or frozen peas
- 2 cloves garlic 1 chopped, 1 whole
- 3 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- zest of three lemons divided
- 8 mint leaves torn
- 1/4 cup olive oil plus more for drizzling bread
- 3 oz ‘nduja
- kosher salt and cracked black pepper
- 1 baguette or sliced sourdough boule or other crusty white bread
Instructions
- Turn on the broiler.
- Slice bread – for crostinis, about 1/2 inch thick, for tartines, about 1 inch thick, and lay them out on a sheet pan. Drizzle bread slices with olive oil on both sides.
- Place the bread under the broiler until golden brown. This happens very quickly! Don’t walk away. It’s best to leave the oven door cracked open, and monitor closely. When bread has browned on one side, flip it over, and repeat on the other side.
- When bread is golden brown, remove from oven and rub slices on one side with the whole clove of garlic. Season with some kosher salt and set aside.
- If using fresh peas, blanch them quickly until bright green, then transfer to an ice bath to cool. If using frozen peas, allow them to thaw to room temperature.
- In a food processor, add peas, chopped garlic, lemon juice, lemon zest – reserving about 1/2 tsp for garnish, mint leaves, and olive oil. Season with a pinch of salt and cracked black pepper.Pulse until the mixture is coarse. You don’t want pea pureé.
- Spread pea mixture onto toasted bread slices. Break ‘nduja into small pieces, placing 2 – 3 chunks on each slice of bread.
- Season with salt and pepper, and top with remaining lemon zest.Pour yourself some wine and enjoy!
This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Read my full disclosure policy here.
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