Broad bean bruschetta

Barbecue-grilled bread topped with vivid green beans and spread with whipped ricotta flavoured with lemon zest, herbs and a sprinkling of fresh chive flowers makes a perfect starter to a barbecue meal. The fiddliest part is the skinning of the broad beans – but it is so worth it, for the flavour as well as the visual impact.

SERVES 4

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500g broad beans in their pods

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, plus extra for drizzling

Grated zest and juice of 1 lemon

4 slices of sourdough bread

200g ricotta cheese

A small handful of mixed herbs such as chives, mint and chervil, finely chopped

4 chive flowers, to garnish (optional)

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Pod the beans and cook them in a pan of salted boiling water for about 2 minutes (the fresher the beans, the quicker they will cook).

Drain the beans, run under cold water to stop them overcooking and then pop them out of their skins. Put into a bowl, season well and add the 2 tablespoons of olive oil and the lemon juice.

Drizzle a little olive oil over the bread slices, and cook over a barbecue, on a ridged griddle pan, or under a conventional grill until golden brown and crisp.

Mix the ricotta cheese with the lemon zest, plenty of freshly ground black pepper and the chopped herbs. Taste and adjust the seasoning.

Spread the ricotta over the bread, and spoon the beans on top. Scatter with chive flowers (if using).

• Notes for Esse users

  Electric For toasting the bread, the grill dial should be set to 12 o’clock.
  Wood-fired You can toast the bread on the bottom of the oven – the dial should read VERY HOT.

Recipe from my book Summer