Fresh, vibrant, and full of flavour, this smashed broad bean topping is a celebration of simple, seasonal ingredients. With zesty lemon, fragrant herbs, and a generous drizzle of olive oil, it turns a humble slice of sourdough into something truly special. Perfect for a light lunch, brunch, or a quick, nourishing snack.
Ingredients
- Fresh broad beans (125g of shelled beans)
- 150g young carrots, washed
- 250g small new potatoes, washed and cut in two
- 100g fresh or frozen peas
- ½ a large onion, finely chopped
- 2 Spring onions, finely sliced
- 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
- 50ml dry white wine
- 250ml vegetable stock
- 2 tbsp fresh mint, parsley and thyme, finely chopped
- 1 tsp sweet paprika
- A pinch of dried oregano
- Salt and pepper to taste
- ½ lemon, juice
To serve
- Feta, extra herbs and more extra virgin olive oil (optional)
Method
Pod the fresh broad beans, make a vertical slit on the tough outer skin (this will help you later) and blanch in boiling water for 2-3 minutes. Drain and rinse in cold water. Slip off the skins to reveal the bright green inner beans.
Bring a sauteing pan to a medium heat and add the olive oil. Sweat the dried onion and the sliced white part of the spring onions until translucent and add the garlic. Cook for a minute more and then add the carrots and the potatoes to the pan. If using fresh peas add them too at this point. Toss for a minute or so in the olive oil and add the wine. Once the wine has evaporated, add the stock, bring to the boil, cover the pan, lower the heat and cook for 15 minutes.
When the 15 minutes is up, add the shelled broad beans, frozen peas, herbs, sliced spring onions, sweet paprika, oregano, salt and pepper and any extra water needed. Give it all a good stir, cover and cook for another 15-20 minutes with the lid on until the vegetables are cooked.
You can eat this dish hot or at room temperature. Like all the olive oil based dishes of Greek cuisine, this goes beautifully with some crumbled feta on the side.