Posted on
March 06, 2010 by
Stile Mediterraneo
It has been several months now since we started our “What’s special at the market in Puglia” section, where we write about seasonal and special products we find at the market in Puglia.
We have to admit that we were never happier to host our market section than today! This morning we finally found some fresh fava beans at the market and this means that the Spring has finally arrived!
The fava beans are still a bit small and so we have to wait a few days more, before we can make our delicious pasta with fresh fava beans, onions and mint.
However, when the fava beans are so small and tender they are perfect to be eaten raw in a salad, with the fresh pecorino sheep cheese, some Pugliese bread topped with good quality extra virgin olive oil!
It’s a fantastic starter!
What’s your favorite recipe with fresh fava beans?
Tags: fava beansmarkets
Category
Food markets, Vegetables & Legumes
Posted on
April 17, 2009 by
Stile Mediterraneo
If you ever get invited by a Pugliese family at their lunch or dinner, you can be sure they will offer you Fava beans with wild chicories and extra virgin olive oil (among the other one thousands dishes!!).
This is something that all families from Puglia eat at least once per week. I and my sister, at least twice per week!
This is a very simple but still super delicious dish.
It is perfect for everybdoy: for vegeterians, for people who work a lot and have no time to shop for food every day, for kids….for everybody!
It is a super healthy dish because this legume has LOTS of proteins.
Fava beans with chicories come from Puglia’s traditional paesant cuisine, based on very little meat (that only rich people could afford) and on what the local farmers produced – lots of vegetables, legumes, durum wheat pasta and bread.
Given the simplicity of this dish (as all food from Puglia), the quality of the ingredients you use is the key! Therefore, you need to serve the fava beans with very good extra virgin olive oil. And if you are having it with bread, you need to use the durum wheat bread!
This is the recipe:
5 servings
- 400 grams dried peeled fava beans,
- salt to taste
- 5 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 liter water
- 1 kg wild chicories
- 1 garlic clove
- spicy pepper
- durum wheat traditional bread
Soak the fava broad beans overnight (8-12 hours), before cooking. Rinse and place the fava broad beans in a big casserole with fresh water. Place over a slow flame. When the water starts boiling, remove with a spoon the white foam that the fava beans produce. Stir every 10-20 minutes and cook for about 2 hours at very slow flame, while the beans gradually dissolve. Add water from time to time if needed.
While you cook the fava beans, wash the wild chicories. Cook them for about 5-10 minutes in boiling and salted water. When they are “al dente”, drain the chicories.
In a large saucepan, pour some extra virgin olive oil (two tablespoons), add the garlic and spicy pepper and cook for about two minutes. Add the chicories, stir and cover. Cook at low flame for other 5-10 minutes.
When the fava beans are completely dissolved, switch off the flame and add 3 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil (or more if you like) while stirring with a wooden spoon.
Serve the fava beans with the chicory on the side in the same plate. The chicory and fava beans are meant to be eaten together!
You can also serve them with small pieces of traditional durum wheat bread. You can add other extra virgin olive oil.
Please share with us other healthy and simple recipes you know!
Tags: fava beansrecipes
Category
Mediterranean Healthy food, Recipes, Vegetables & Legumes
Posted on
April 03, 2009 by
Stile Mediterraneo
It’s finally “primavera” Spring in Puglia, Southern Italy!
So we can finally have all the delicious vegetables that we only find in April: the marvellous fresh fava (broad) beans, the sweet little green peas and the tasty asparagus!! For our Easter menu, in addition to the tradional baked lamb with rosmarin and roasted potatoes, we are going to have a fresh Fava (broad) bean cream for appetizer. The recipe includes (for 4 servings): 400 grams fresh fava/broad beans; 100 grams fresh green peas; 50 grams small potatoes; 30 grams leek; half litre clear broth; 1 tea spoon salt; a pinch black pepper; 6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil; 100 grams asparagus; 50 grams fresh fava/broad beans (for decoration).
For the fava cream: slice the leek and soften it in a pan with a few drops of extra virgin olive oil, for a few minutes. Add the fresh fava beans, the green peas and the potatoes. Stir and let them cook for a few minutes while adding some clear broth. Add the salt and pepper and keep stirring. Cook for about 30minutes and them mix everything with a blender until you get a very smooth cream. Add 4 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil, (it is better to add it raw at the end of your cooking, so you keep all the olive oil flavors!!).
For the asparagus decoration: in another pan cook the asparagus reduced in cubes, the 50 grams of fava beans and a table spoon of extra virgin olive oil. Serve the fava bean cream warm, in a bowl. Decorate with the asparagus.
And you, what’s going to be your Easter menu? Share with us your recipes and menu.
Tags: Easter recipesfava beans
Category
Recipes, Vegetables & Legumes
