Zesty pea, broad bean & feta smash

Fresh, light and zesty - this is the perfect brunch for warmer months. Served on garlic rubbed toast topped with chunky mashed peas and broad beans, salty crumbled feta, fresh mint and lemon juice and zest. A great source of protein and you can save any extras for later in the week, on toast, a baked jacket potato, stirred through orzo or pasta or in a folded omelette.

Total time to make : 20 minutes

Servings : 3

Ingredients

200g frozen (or fresh*) broad beans

180g frozen peas

1 lemon, zest and juice of

Handful of fresh mint leaves

80g feta

2 tbsp olive oil, plus extra to drizzle

Salt and pepper, to season

Serve on toasted bread, rubbed with whole garlic clove and a handful of peashoots or fresh mint leaves.

Method

1. Bring a small saucepan of water to the boil. Add in the broad beans and cook for 2 mins from frozen or 30 secs from fresh. Prepare a clean bowl of cold water (add ice if you have it). Drain the broad beans into a colander and put them in the bowl of very cold water, leaving them to one side whilst you prepare the peas.

2. Put the frozen peas into the empty colander and run them under cold water for a few minutes, this will quickly defrost them.

3. Use your fingers to squeeze and peel the outer velvety jacket from the broad beans, revealing a bright green inner bean. Discard the jacket and put the podded broad beans in the colander with the peas.

4. Repeat until all the broad beans are podded (this takes about 10 minutes).

5. Once the broad beans have all been podded and added in with the peas, shake the colander to drain any excess water and then tip them both into a large mixing bowl. Add in the lemon zest and juice, 2 tbsps of olive oil and a generous pinch of salt. Use a fork or potato masher to very roughly mash the mixture. Tear in the fresh mint leaves and crumble in the feta, stir once or twice with a spoon to mix. Season to taste, adding more salt if necessary.

6. Serve on toasted bread, rub a whole clove of garlic over each slice, then spoon on the pea and board bean mash. Garnish with extra mint leaves, a handful of peashoots, a drizzle of olive oil and freshly cracked black pepper. Finish with a pinch of chilli flakes for a touch of heat, if you like.

Nutritional Information

(per portion)

270 calories

12g protein, 15g carbs, 15g fat

Good to know:

• To make this vegan, skip out the feta.

• Also known as the fava bean, broad beans come in long green pods like sugar snap peas and are 'double podded' beans. You can buy them fresh (still in their long green pods) or frozen (already plucked from their pods). Whether they're fresh or frozen, you still need to boil and peel off their outer jackets to get the bright green inner bean.

• If you don't have broad beans or want to save time and just use peas, use 380g of frozen peas.

• This makes 3 generous portions. For leftovers, wrap the bowl tightly in cling film and keep in the fridge for up to 3 days.