← Nouns Cooking · Italian

Ingredients

• 300 g dried split fava beans (skinless)
• 1 small potato, peeled and diced
• 1 Bay leaves
• 600 g chicory (cicoria) or dandelion greens
• 2 cloves Garlic, sliced
• 1 pinch Chilli flakes (optional)
• 6 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, plus extra to serve
• 1 tsp Salt

Method

1. Soak the fava beans overnight in plenty of cold water, then drain and rinse.
2. Put them in a pot with the potato and bay leaf and cover with water by 3 cm. Simmer very gently, partly covered, for 60–75 min, skimming off foam and stirring often, until they collapse into a thick mash. Add hot water if it sticks.
3. Remove the bay leaf and beat the purée with a wooden spoon (or a stick blender) with 3 tbsp oil and the salt until smooth and creamy.
4. Meanwhile, trim and wash the chicory and boil it in salted water for 8–10 min until tender. Drain well and squeeze out the water.
5. Warm the rest of the oil with the garlic and chilli in a frying pan for 1 minute, add the greens and toss for 3 min.
6. Spread the warm purée on plates, pile the greens alongside and pour over plenty of your best olive oil.

Tips

• Split, skinless fava beans cook down far faster than whole ones; find them in Italian, Greek or Middle Eastern shops.
• The purée thickens as it cools; loosen leftovers with a splash of hot water.

Sources

Written in our own words after cross-checking these recipes:

Memorie di Angelina Pasta Grammar