Bruschetta with broad beans, pecorino, mint and Taggiasche olives

Just-picked, freshly podded raw baby broad beans are a real seasonal treat. Here, they’re mixed with Taggiasche olives, a Ligurian delicacy from the small town of Taggia. They’re considered to be one of the best-flavoured varieties.

30 MINUTES | SERVES 6 | EASY | V

baby broad beans 250g, double-podded

mint leaves 8

pecorino (or vegetarian alternative) 30g, grated, plus extra to serve

lemon 1, zested and juiced

olive oil 50ml

focaccia 6 slices, toasted

Taggiasche olives 3 tbsp, pitted and sliced

1 Use a pestle and mortar to pound together the beans, mint leaves and a pinch of salt until crushed. Tip into a bowl and fold in the pecorino, lemon zest and juice, and olive oil. Season to taste.

2 Cut the focaccia into small pieces and spread thickly with the topping. Sprinkle with the olives and some more pecorino before serving.

PER SERVING 295 kcals | fat 14.6G saturates 2.2G | carbs 30G | sugars 1.9G fibre 3.1G | protein 9.2G | salt 1.3G

Petersham Nurseries describes itself as a place of beauty, an emporium of goods, a celebration of the seasons. It is all these things and more: somewhere to meet friends, to escape from city life and to reconnect with nature. Shaped by the creativity, character and passions of the Boglione family, the nurseries have developed in line with their personal commitment to nature, integrity and family. With restaurants in Richmond-upon-Thames and Covent Garden, menus are created using ingredients from the family farm in Devon, focussing on simple, Italian-inspired, seasonal dishes with a produce and provenance-led cooking style. The Petersham Nurseries book is out on the 20 May (£65), available to buy from petershamnurseries.com.