BROAD BEAN & AVOCADO DIP with PITA CRISPS

The broad beans in my garden are starting to pod up, so I thought I’d re-share this recipe I wrote for my students when I was teaching last year & they were in remote learning. Both broad beans & avocado are in season right now & are

incredibly delicious. This dip uses both & is very

quick to make. Serve it with the equally easy to make

pita crisps & some fresh seasonal raw vegetables for

a delicious snack.

Broad beans are an excellent source of fiber, are high in protein & contain vitamins C and K, folate and minerals such as manganese, magnesium, iron and zinc.

BROAD BEAN & AVOCADO DIP

INGREDIENTS: 600g of broad beans, podded (200g once podded)

2 small or 1 large avocado, carefully cut in half with a

butter knife & pip removed.

Large handful of soft herbs (I used mint, parsley &

fennel fronds)

Juice of half a lemon

salt and pepper to taste

1 tbsp olive oil

3 tbsp water

1 clove of garlic, peeled

METHOD:

1. Cook podded broad beans in a saucepan of boiling water for 2 minutes. Drain and refresh under cold water. Remove any thick white layers from broad beans (younger broad beans won’t need to be double podded).

2. Juice lemon.

3. Wash soft herbs and dry with paper towel. Remove large stems.

4. Using a spoon, remove flesh from avocado, discard pip & skin.

5. Process broad beans, avocado, lemon juice, pinch of salt, herbs, oil, water and garlic in a food processor or blender for 1-2 minutes until smooth but slightly chunky (it should be a bit textured, don’t make it too smooth), then season with extra salt and pepper to taste.

6. Serve in a serving bowl with freshly cut veggies & pita crisps.

PITA CRISPS

INGREDIENTS:

Mini wholemeal pita bread x 8 pieces

50ml of olive oil

salt and pepper to taste

METHOD:

1. Preheat oven to 180°C.

2. Carefully split mini pita breads in half.

3. Measure oil in a measuring cup, then pour oil into a small bowl.

4. Brush bread with the oil, then sprinkle with sea salt & pepper.

5. Place on a baking tray.

6. Bake for 5-7 minutes or until crisp and lightly browned, set aside to cool.

7. Break pita crisps in half to make rustic pieces and serve with dip. Left over pita crisps can be stored in

an airtight container for up to 5 days.