This dish starts a clattering Thursday, Friday or Saturday night dinner of loud stories and louder reactions, burning candles to the bottom, mopping up red wine with white cotton napkins, guttural cackling, missing the last tube and eventually getting a taxi. Four raucous seats round the table of did-I-tell-you-this and did-I-tell-you-that. Wide open mouths in open plan kitchens. Chopping between topics like a champion slalom skier.
The bean and mint mixture is an unapologetically larger than life version of a pesto. Make sure it's piled high enough for bits to tumble off. The Parmesan shavings should be balanced precariously on top, tilting on the peaks. This is not a cutlery kind of starter. This should be eaten by fingers on hands that are busily switching between making big Italian - sized hand gestures, swinging for their wine glasses, banging fists on the table and pointing incredulously at ludicrous statements made from across the table. Best followed by the most relaxed but astonishing alchemy of chilli, garlic, parmesan and olive oil over pasta (with some chopped sausage and roast veg thrown in).
Broad Bean Bruschetta
Inspired by my friend Emma's dinner party...
Ingredients
250g cooked and double podded broad beans
1 garlic clove halved lengthwise
1 small ciabatta
handful of grated parmesan plus wide shavings to finish
small handful of mint leaves, chopped
1-2 tablespoons of pine nuts
extra virgin olive oil
Directions
Lightly crush the double-podded broad beans in a mixing bowl. Combine with the mint, grated parmesan, pine nuts, salt and a slug of olive oil. Rub the bread with the garlic then toast them (I'm aware everyone else does this the other way round).
Top with the broad bean mix and sprinkle with parmesan shavings.
