- 1 cup water
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1½ cups shelling peas, preferably English (about 1¼ pounds, or use large-size frozen peas)
- ¼ cup plus 1 tablespoon coarsely chopped fresh basil (about 30 leaves)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil plus extra for brushing
- 2 tablespoons ricotta cheese
- Salt and freshly ground pepper
- 1 sourdough baguette
- Preheat the broiler.
- In a small pot, bring the water and salt to a boil. Add the peas and cook for 4 minutes. Drain and rinse under cold water to stop the cooking process. Pat dry.
- In a food processor, combine the peas, the ¼ cup basil, oil, cheese, and salt and pepper. Process until creamy. Taste and add more salt or pepper as needed.
- Cut the baguette into sixteen ¼-inch-wide slices. Place the bread slices on a baking sheet and spray or brush them on both sides with olive oil. Broil until the bread is a light golden-brown color, 1 to 2 minutes. Turn slices and repeat. (Watch carefully, as bread can burn easily.) Remove from broiler and let cool.
- To assemble, spread about 1 tablespoon of the pea mixture on each slice of bread. Sprinkle with remaining chopped basil. Serve immediately.