Pecorino crostini with pea purée and chicory

When it comes to preparing a quick yet delicious lunch or dinner, nothing beats crispy bread crostini with melted pecorino cheese, fresh pea cream, and chicory. This recipe, created by our food blogger Azzurra, is a true ode to traditional Apulian flavors, reinterpreted in a modern and tasty way.

Azzurra, a passionate cook and lover of regional cuisine, chose to pair chicory, a typical ingredient of our land, not with classic fava beans, but with fresh peas, for an even more delicate and creamy result.

Boiled and blended with basil, pine nuts, Parmesan, and Vigoroso extra virgin olive oil, the peas transform into a delicious cream, a kind of versatile and flavorful "pesto". The bread slices, toasted with thin slices of pecorino that melt gently, become the perfect base for this cream, completed by chicory sautéed in a pan with oil and garlic. A simple but rich dish that enhances the quality of Vigoroso oil, a decisive and robust extra virgin olive oil, with golden nuances and an intense aroma, ideal for enhancing the flavors of this recipe.

INGREDIENTS for four people:

• 4 thick slices of homemade bread
• 500g fresh peas (including pods)
• 4/5 basil leaves
• 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 tablespoon pine nuts
• Vigoroso extra virgin olive oil
• 8 slices of pecorino cheese
• 300g fresh or frozen chicory
• 1 clove of garlic
• salt

PREPARATION:

1- Prepare the pesto: shell the peas and boil them in boiling water for 5/10 minutes until tender. Drain them and let them cool.

Blend them with basil, pine nuts, Parmesan, salt, and plenty of oil. Add a little water if the mixture is too thick.

2- Sauté a clove of garlic in extra virgin olive oil and add the chicory, season with salt and cook for about 15 minutes with the lid on.

3- Place the slices of pecorino on the bread and bake for a few minutes until melted.

4- Spread the pea cream and arrange the chicory. Finish with a drizzle of raw oil. Serve immediately.