Broad bean and pancetta bruschetta recipe

We all love beans on toast. So simple but so reassuringly comforting. The combination of soft white bread and hot beans is always a winner. This recipe uses toast and beans but with a twist. Using tender broad beans and salty pancetta on top of crunchy garlic bruschetta provides a crowd-pleasing snack or posh starter. If you make this in the summer, try to get the freshest beans you can find. But frozen work just as well.

Our guide on how to prepare and cook broad beans will make this recipe even easier!

Ingredients

• 4 slices pancetta
• 1 garlic clove, peeled and whole
• 2 thick slices of sourdough bread
• 100g frozen broad beans
• 1tbsp olive oil
• Fresh mint leaves

Method

1. Lay the pancetta on a rack and grill on a high heat until crisp and golden. Set aside.
2. Rub one side of the sourdough with the garlic clove until fragrant. Toast under the grill, turning over once. Set aside once golden.
3. In a saucepan, cook the beans in rapidly boiling water for 5mins. They should be tender but still have some bite. Drain and toss the beans through the oil and mint.
4. Place the bread on a plate and drizzle with a little more oil. Top with beans and finish with 2 pancetta slices on each.