Pea, mint and goats' cheese bruschettas

Continuing an Italian theme started by Bresaola salad earlier this week I present you with a recipe for incredibly tasty bruschettas. I was inspired to make these by one of my friends - thank you Scott, I hope you're reading this!

These beauties are perfect if you want to impress your guests (or yourself) - they look and taste like you spent hours slaving in the kitchen. So many great flavours working together as well! Sweetness of the peas with a bit of spiciness coming from chili flakes, fruity olive oil with creamy goats' cheese... ah, it doesn't get better than this.

To make 8 small bruschettas you'll need:

half a long ciabatta bread

1 cup of peas (fresh would be best, but I used frozen and they work really well)

2-3 tbsp olive oil

1 garlic clove, peeled and crushed

chilli flakes

a few fresh mint leaves

salt

pepper

4-5 tbsp goats' cheese

1 tomato, sliced into 8 pieces

a handful of pine nuts

Preheat the oven to about 200 C. Boil peas in a big pot. Once they are done, drain and set aside.

Pierce the garlic clove and drop into a small bowl filled with olive oil. Add about 1/4 tsp of chili flakes (or more if you like things spicy), stir with a spoon and set aside so the oil infuses with garlic and chili flavours.

Place the peas in a food processor, add a glug of olive oil, 1/4 tsp chili flakes, squeeze of lemon, salt, pepper and mint leaves - blitz quickly (you want it to stay a bit chunky) and set aside.

Place pine nuts in a small pan and toast lightly. It takes seconds once the pan is hot, so don't leave the kitchen because you'll come back to sorry looking black yuckiness. I speak from experience here people! And no, there won't be any pictures of the blackened mess :)

Now slice the ciabatta bread into 8 slices, place on a baking tray and brush with the infused oil.

Grill for 1-2 minutes until golden brown.


Assemble! Place ciabatta slices on a plate, spoon some smashed peas all over, add a slice of tomato and a teaspoon of goats' cheese. Sprinkle with pine nuts, drizzle some olive oil on top and there you go. Food porn in all its glory!