This topping uses fridge and pantry ingredients, can be prepared in advance and requires almost no effort.
Simply cook the peas, grate the cheese, weigh out half a dozen ingredients and whizz together until smooth and creamy.
The combination of green peas and basil pesto is intensely, vibrantly, bold, bright and perky.
Choose a well-flavoured cheddar cheese to fully appreciate the contrast of sweet, sharp and tangy tastes.
I am always amazed at how quickly these disappear.
With their fresh, zesty flavour these simple, filled bread baskets make a stylish, informal appetiser to serve with drinks.
Good to take to a picnic, serve with a salad as part of a light lunch and hand around as a party snack.
Experiment too with other fillings - creme fraiche, smoked salmon and dill all whizzed together is delicious.
Bread baskets
Makes 24
Basket
24 slices fresh sandwich bread. I used a grainy bread.
Olive oil, for brushing
You will need a standard size 12-hole muffin tin.
Method
Preheat oven to 180°C.
Using an 8cm pastry cutter, cut a circle of bread from each slice.
Some recipes suggest using a rolling pin to flatten the slices. I don’t recommend this as it makes the bread quite tough and hard.
Using a pastry brush, lightly brush one side of each slice with olive oil. Carefully press each bread circle, oil side down, into muffin tins. Bake for 10-12 minutes until lightly golden. Cool on a wire rack.
Pea and pesto cream
450g frozen green peas (not minted)
70g grated tasty cheddar cheese
¼ cup basil pesto (I buy mine from the supermarket)
1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil.
1 tsp ground sumac
⅛-¼ tsp chilli powder
¾ tsp salt
Tiny sprigs of thyme or snipped chives to garnish.
Method
Place the green peas in a microwave proof container and cover. Microwave to cook the peas. Remove and tip the grated cheese on to the hot peas and stir. The heat melts the cheese and it whips more smoothly into the peas. Add the basil pesto, olive oil, sumac, chilli powder and salt.
Tip into a food processor and process until smoothly mixed. Adjust seasoning. Cool in fridge until required.
To serve, place heaped teaspoons full of the pea and pesto cream into each bread basket.
Garnish with thyme leaves or chives. Arrange on a platter and serve at room temperature.
