Olive Oil
Minty Pea Toasts With Pickled Onions
- Prep time 2 hours 15 minutes
- Cook time 10 minutes
- Serves 4 to 5
Author Notes
Whether you call it crostini, tartine, or toast, there are many worthy toppings for the humble grilled bread. Avocados generally get all the credit here, but of course there are also nut spreads, cured meats, and cheese—there’s essentially nothing that doesn’t go well on toast.
These particular toasts are topped with a minty pea spread, bright pink pickled onions, and crunchy pistachios. Yes, it’s a bit more effort than your run-of-the-mill avocado toast, but all the more impressive as well. The pea spread is bright green, creamy, and herbaceous, pickled onions bring a much needed kick of acidity and sweetness, and the pistachios add crunch. It’s best served on slices of crusty baguette, and if you slice the baguette on the bias you'll get more generous toast portions.
Petite peas (also called petit-pois) are preferred in this recipe. The smaller peas are sweeter, more tender, and less starchy than standard green peas—and they cost about the same! Find them in the freezer aisle next to the standard peas. If fresh peas are available, all the better, although you may prefer the convenience of frozen (no shelling necessary).
The spread will keep in the fridge for about four days and the pickled onions will keep for up to two weeks (both can be made ahead for quick and easy assembly). Serve these toasts at your next dinner party, or enjoy them alongside a salad for a light lunch. —Zola Gregory
Ingredients
- For the pickled onions:
-
1
medium red onion, thinly sliced
-
1/2 cup
red wine vinegar
-
3 tablespoons
granulated sugar
-
1 1/4 teaspoons
kosher salt
- For the toasts:
-
3/4 cup
raw shelled pistachios, divided
-
10 ounces
fresh or frozen petite peas
-
1/3 cup
fresh mint leaves
-
1/4 cup
whole milk ricotta
-
1/2 teaspoon
kosher salt
-
1
small crusty baguette
-
1/4 cup
extra-virgin olive oil
Directions
- Make the pickled onions: Pack onion slices into a 16-ounce jar (or similar). Add the vinegar, sugar, and salt as well as 1 cup of boiling water. Give it a quick stir with a spoon and let cool slightly, then cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours and up to 2 weeks.
- Toast the pistachios: Place a medium, heavy-bottomed skillet over medium-high heat. Add the pistachios and toss them frequently until fragrant and lightly browned, about 2 minutes. Reserve ¼ cup of the pistachios for the pea purée and roughly chop the rest.
- Make the pea purée: Fill a medium saucepan with 3 cups of water and bring to a boil over high heat. Once boiling, add the peas and bring back to a boil. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes, or until the peas are tender. Drain the peas and let them cool slightly. Combine the peas, mint leaves, ¼ cup of the pistachios, and salt into the cup of a food processor. Pulse until the mixture becomes homogeneous and mostly smooth, about 1 minute. Add the ricotta and pulse until combined.
- Toast the bread: Slice the baguette at a 45 degree angle into 1-inch-thick slices. Place a large skillet over medium-high heat and place as many bread slices as will fit into the pan in an even layer. Toast for about 2 to 3 minutes per side, or until the bread is lightly browned and crisp on each side. Transfer to a serving platter and lightly drizzle the toasts with olive oil. Repeat with remaining bread slices.
- To assemble, spread each toast with a large spoonful of the pea purée (about 2 tablespoons). Top with pickled onions and chopped pistachios. Save leftover spread in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to four days.
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