A quick and easy Italian fava bean/broad bean dish that can be served as a vegan main, or side dish. Sauté the onion in the olive oil over medium high heat, adding a pinch of salt. Once the onions are translucent and starting to brown a little, add the shelled (and peeled, if they are older) fava/broad beans.
Fave e cicoria – fava bean purée with wild chicory. This fave e cicoria recipe, or fava bean purée, is a great example of 'La cucina povera' – Italian peasant cooking. More than the sum of its parts, this Puglian dish is perfect served with bread or potatoes, or eaten alone as a starter.
Remove the beans from the pods, then blanch in salted water for 3-4 minutes. Drain. Fava beans have a second “skin” that many people like to remove. Personally, they don’t bother me – I grew up eating this outer skin you see above, so I leave them on.
Instructions Soak dried fava beans in 10 cups water (the beans will expand) overnight in a large pot or bowl. The next day, drain the beans. Cook chopped bacon for 5 minutes or until browned in a large soup pot over medium heat. Remove bacon from pot and let rest on towel lined plate. Add sausage to pot. Remove sausage from pot onto a plate.