Spring Crostini

Shell the peas and fava beans. Keep peas and beans separate. Bring a saucepan of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the beans and boil until tender, about 2 minutes. Drain into a colander and then rinse under cold running water until cool. Remove the outer skin from each bean by pinching open the end opposite where the fava bean attaches to the pod. You should have about 1 cup of favas. Boil water for the peas as well and blanche the peas for just one minute. Finely chop the peas and favas.

Mix the ricotta, Pecorino Romano, 1 tablespoon of the mint, lemon zest and 2 Tbs. olive oil with the fava beans. Using a fork, mash the ingredients together until well blended. Season with salt and pepper.

Cut the baguette into easy to bite slices, each about 1⁄2 inch thick. Arrange the baguette slices on a rimmed baking sheet and toast in the oven until crisp, turning once, about 5 minutes total. Remove from the oven and set aside. If you are making life easy with ready made crostini, you can obviously skip this step!

Heap a spoonful of the bean mixture onto each baguette toast. Drizzle lightly with lemon olive oil and sprinkle with the remaining mint. Arrange the toasts on a platter and serve right away.

Makes 24 crostini; serves 6 or 10 as a passed appetizer.