My basic recipe for cooking fresh fava beans perfect to enjoy stewed or as a base for appetizers, first and second courses.
The fresh pinched stewed fava beans, also known as Sicilian-style fava, are a typical spring dish.
The fava beans are trimmed at the stem, leaving them slightly exposed at the top: this step helps the cooking and improves the final texture.
Grandma Francesca pinched them with her fingers, deftly… I, less practiced, use a knife and cut away just a tiny piece of the bean.
After cleaning, the fava beans are cooked stewed or in broth.
By extending the cooking time you can obtain a fresh fava purée, called macco in Sicily.
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- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Medium
- Preparation time: 20 Minutes
- Cooking time: 20 Minutes
- Portions: 2People
- Cooking methods: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients
Fresh fava beans weight from raw to cooked
From 1 kilogram (about 2.2 lb) of fresh fava beans in their pods I obtained about 350 g (about 12.3 oz) of shelled fresh fava beans.
- fava beans (2 servings, weight according to your dietary plan)
- 1/2 onion (blended or grated, or whole)
- 1 pinch garlic powder
- 3.4 fl oz water (+ enough to cover the fava (about 1 cm / 3/8 inch above their level))
- 1 pinch salt
- 1 pinch mixed peppercorns (use a grinder)
- 1 bouillon cube (homemade vegetable)
- 1 sprig parsley
- 1 drizzle extra virgin olive oil (to finish)
The cooking time for fresh fava beans varies depending on:
– the size and freshness of the beans;
– the desired texture [brothy or drier].
Suggested tools
- Knife
- Cutting board
- 1 Pan
Preparation
Shell the fava beans and rinse them under running water.
“Pinch” the beans by removing the stem and leaving them slightly uncovered at the top.
If you are not practiced at doing this with your fingers like the grandmothers, help yourself with a knife and cut away just a tiny piece of the bean.Peel and wash the onion.
Blend or finely grate the onion, or leave it whole if you prefer to remove it after cooking.
In a pan briefly heat a sprinkle of garlic powder and the onion.
Add 3.4 fl oz of water (about 50 ml) and let it stew for a few seconds.
Add the fava beans and stir to flavor them.
Pour more water to cover them about 3/8 inch (about 1 cm) above their level.
Add a pinch of salt and a pinch of pepper, a vegetable bouillon cube and the parsley.
Bring to a boil.
Continue cooking over low heat.
The cooking time for fresh fava beans varies depending on:
– their size and freshness;
– the desired texture [brothy or drier].
Let them cook from 20 to 40 minutes, taking care to:
– check the consistency;
– add more water if necessary;
– stir to prevent the broth from drying and the fava beans from sticking to the bottom of the pan.
Adjust salt to taste.Your fresh fava beans are ready.
In the basic recipe they are perfect to enjoy stewed or as a base for appetizers, first and second courses.
Plate and finish with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil raw to enjoy them at their best.
Enjoy your meal!
Use small, tender fava beans: the skin stays soft and pleasant to eat.
For large, tough fava beans, remove the skin especially if it is too fibrous.
Storage, tips and variations
Storage
Store cooked fava beans in the refrigerator in a closed container for 2-3 days.
Store cooked fava beans in the freezer for up to 6-8 months, already portioned.
Tips and variations
Squeeze the juice of 1/4 lemon directly into the pan and add the squeezed wedge as well: it helps keep the fava beans greener and brighter, preventing them from darkening.
Extend the cooking and mash the fava beans or blend with an immersion blender to obtain a fresh fava purée, called macco in Sicily.
Season with wild fennel.
FAQ – Questions and Answers
FAVA BEANS AND DIABETES
Glycemic index of fava beans: GI 40.
The glycemic index of fava beans is higher than that of other legumes, and it also increases with cooking.
– Can I eat fava beans? This is a question you should ask your diabetologist.
– Can people with diabetes eat fava beans? Follow your meal plan; ours includes them.
Generally, in cases of hyperglycemia, prediabetes and diabetes cooked fava beans can be consumed without exceeding portion sizes.Tips on pairing legumes
In short:
– legumes + grains [bread, pasta or rice preferably whole grain] = correct pairing;
– legumes + proteins = correct pairing.
To learn more about pairing legumes read the article by clicking the following link: pairing legumes in the diet.
