Fava Bean with chicory (Fave e cicoria)
4-6
MEDIUM
PREP TIME
20 MINS
COOK TIME
20 MINS
TOTAL TIME
40 MINS
RECIPE PROVIDED BY
Zia Lucia
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INGREDIENTS
- 1 kg mixed fish (squid, wild king prawns, langoustines, cod, red mullet, whitebait, scallops - whatever you prefer)
- 200 gr flour
- Terre di San Vito’s Extra virgin olive oil
- Salt
- Lemon
INTRODUCTION
Auntie Lucia regularly makes this healthy soul-satisfying vegan dish. It captures the best of the Mediterranean diet in both simplicity and flavour. It is a traditional plant-based Pugliese dish and is easy to make. Known in Italy as fave e cicoria, it is a fava bean puree with sautéed, wild chicory greens.
Fava beans are a staple of Puglia, and the chicory plant grows freely in the fields, so it is easy to find all year round. The Mediterranean diet focuses a lot on plant-based foods such as fruit and vegetables,
whole grains, beans, lentils and peas, nuts and seeds and of course fish – it doesn’t really consume large portions of red meat.
Shopping tip: Wild chicory greens can be difficult to find in the UK. A good alternative would be greens that have a bitter taste such as: dandelion leaves, kale or turnip tops. The slightly bitter greens are a perfect complement to the sweet, creamy flavour of the pureed fava beans. It really is a marriage of two perfect textures and flavours.
METHOD
Preparing the beans
- First wash the dried fava beans well.
- Cover them with at least two inches of water above the beans and soak them in water for an hour before use or follow the instructions on the packet.
- Drain the beans.
- In a large saucepan, add the fava beans and enough water to cover them by at least 1 inch.
- Add the chopped onion/garlic, a large pinch of salt and simmer.
- Stir from time to time.
- Cook the beans for approx. 1 ½ - 2 hours or until soft.
- When the beans are beginning to soften, add the halved potato to the simmering pot.
- Once the beans and potato have softened and are cooked, most of the water should have been absorbed, stir them with a wooden spoon to reduce them to a puree.
Preparing the greens
- While the fava beans are simmering.
- Wash the chicory.
- Trim the stems by around one inch.
- Clean well and cut in half lengthwise if the leaves are really long.
- Place them in to a large saucepan.
- Season lightly with salt and cook until the leaves and stalks are soft.
- Turn off the heat and keep them warm.
To serve
- While the beans are still warm, having
stirred them into a puree, if they are still lumpy, do give them a mash. - Add a little extra virgin olive oil or a little of the water from the pan with the chicory so that the fava beans are smooth and creamy.
- Spoon the blended fava beans into a
shallow bowl or serving dish. - Arrange the cooked chicory in a mound in
the centre or the side of the dish. - Serve with toasted bread or taralli,
- Add salt & pepper as desired and always with a drizzle of Terre Di San Vito’s extra virgin olive oil.
Buon appetito!
Top tips
- Purè di Fave e Cicoria can also be enjoyed as a fava bean dip appetizer.
- Use the best quality extra virgin Italian olive oil you can find and afford.
- Adding a peeled potato to the fava
beans at the end of the cooking process helps to make the fava bean puree extra creamy, the key to the success of this dish. - Dandelion greens, kale, rape or turnip
tops are a great substitute for chicory and they offer potential health benefits including helping to fight inflammation, aiding blood sugar control and boosting the immune system. - This recipe is meant to be served as soon as it’s been made.
- Leftovers can be reheated in the microwave – just add a little water to help keep its creamy texture.
Serve this with a bottle of our fabulous Terre Di San Vito Apeneste white wine.
