Spring Pea and Asparagus Bruschetta

This is the perfect bite to welcome spring and is a great way to begin an Easter dinner. These are light and bright and the Ricotta cheese gives it just the right amount of creaminess balancing out the crisp vegetables and rustic grain bread

Spring Pea and Asparagus Bruschetta

4 1/4 inch slices of 7 grain bread (or some other rustic grain bread), cut into halves to make 8 pieces

1 Tablespoons olive oil, plus extra

1 Tablespoon of salted butter
1/2 Light Ricotta cheese

10 Asparagus spears with woody stalks removed

½ Cup frozen organic green peas, defrosted

2 Cloves of garlic thinly sliced

Zest of 1 Lemon

1 Teaspoon (about 3-4 leaves) fresh chopped basil

Coarse Kosher salt

Fresh ground black pepper

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a cookie sheet with foil and place a metal cooling rack over the cookie sheet. Place the bread on the cooling rack (this ensures your bread will be nice and crispy) and brush with the olive oil. Finish with a sprinkle of kosher salt. Bake 10-12 minutes until golden and crunchy. 

While the bread is cooking bring prepare the asparagus. You want the asparagus to have a nice crunch so you will need to blanch it. Add ice and cold water to a bowl large enough to hold the asparagus.  Bring cups of salted water to boil, add asparagus and blanch for 2 minutes. Remove asparagus and place directly into the ice bath to stop the cooking process.  Drain the asparagus and cut into small bias cut slices, similar in size to the peas. Add to the defrosted peas and set aside. When ready to serve, you will saute them in garlic oil. 

Prepare garlic oil by adding 1 tablespoons of olive oil and the butter to a saute pan and add the sliced garlic. Warm the garlic into the pan until fragrant. Discard garlic and set aside oil for when you are ready to serve.

Make the cheese spread by combining 1/2 of the lemon zest and fresh basil to the ricotta cheese. Season generously with salt and pepper to taste.  All of the prep can be done several hours in advance.

When ready to serve bring all ingredients to room temperature, spread 1 tablespoon of cheese on each slice of bread and repeat with remaining bread. Add pees and asparagus into the garlic oil and sauté for a minute or two to heat through. Spoon warm vegetable mixture onto the Ricotta cheese toast, sprinkle with salt and a pinch of lemon zest. Serve immediately. 

Makes 8 pieces