Just Kitchin
Just Kitchin
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Spring Ricotta and Mashed Pea Crostini

Peas. Ricotta. Toast. Love. Passion. Secrets. Mystery. This seemingly simple crostini brings depth and nuance to an otherwise simple flavor combination. It’s also really freaking green, so you can convince anyone who asks that it is a seasonal, springtime dish. You heard it here first: this spring pea and ricotta crostini will get you laid.

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It’s Easter morning and your mom says you’re on appetizer duty for the family meal in two hours. The fridge is barren, the stores are closed, it’s crunch time, you’re breaking a sweat, and just as it seems that all hope is lost… you pull the frozen peas out of the freezer. So cheap, so boring, and most importantly, so green. As long as your plate is popping with this color, you can pass it off as a trendy “springtime” dish, and yes, you will be showered with compliments because of it.

**record scratch**…. Insert update from 28Feb2025:

Hey, it’s Mike from 2025. I believe this was first written in 2018, and I am happy to say that, slowly but surely, I am adding some much-needed refinement to some of these JK recipes. For full disclosure - I have been obsessed with “pea toast” this year. So much so that it annoys my fiancé.

It’s really freakin’ good. When I make it, it is typically on sourdough for breakfast, and it makes me feel like a million bucks - it’s packed with protein and fiber, and it looks positively vibrant. While the 2018 recipe relied heavily on ricotta and parmesan for some tasty, albeit heavier, cheese-forward flavors, my 2025 recipe dials all the fluff back to achieve a transcendent simplicity. The peas shine like the Teletubbies sunrise, there is the addition of mint, which is the humble pea’s best friend… and most importantly, the ratio’s are re-tuned very precisely, for (hopefully) very reproducible results. It goes without saying that I will be bringing this sh*t to easter dinner 2025. Please try it out an enjoy :)

 

Ingredients

Makes 4 hefty-crostinis

  • 1 and 1/4 cup of frozen peas (150g)

  • 1/4 cup fresh mint leaves (5g)

  • Green segment of 1x green onion, torn into pieces (4.5g)

  • Juice and zest of 1/2 lemon (20ml)

  • 1/2 tsp salt (3.5g)

  • 1 and 1/2 tbs ricotta cheese (25g)

  • 1 tbs unsalted butter (12g)

  • 1/2 tbs Extra virgin olive oil

28Feb Note: Next update will be to increase the batch size + add a new picture to better reflect the finished product.

 

Method

  1. Toast your toast! Any type will do, although I prefer sourdough or anything else with some heft and crunch when toasted.

For the pea spread:

  1. Line a microwavable bowl with a paper towel and add the frozen peas to the bowl. Microwave on high for 2 minutes until the peas are thawed, but not cooked-to-death.

  2. Do your best to capture excess moisture with the paper towel (does not need to be perfect). Pour 3/4 of the peas into a blender or food processor.

  3. Into the blender, add the lemon juice, lemon zest, butter, ricotta, mint, green onion, and salt.

  4. Blend until relatively smooth and homogenous. If it’s thick, you may have to shake / scrape down the sides of the vessel.

Finishing:

  1. In the bowl with the remaining, un-blended peas, drizzle in 1/2 tbs of olive oil and lightly mash with the back of a spoon, just to give it some texture.

  2. Dollop and spread the blended pea mixture on each toast. Top with the mashed peas + flakey salt (optional) for garnish. Take picture. Eat. Be happy.