The broad bean pesto is a very simple recipe that can be prepared quickly in a few minutes. I love preparing broad bean pesto with pecorino to give it character and flavor, plus I use it to cook tagliatelle or homemade tonnarelli.
If you like broad beans, don’t forget to check out other recipes such as
- Difficulty: Very Easy
- Cost: Very Cheap
- Preparation time: 5 Minutes
- Portions: 2
- Cooking methods: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: Spring, Summer
- Energy 422.25 (Kcal)
- Carbohydrates 11.25 (g) of which sugars 5.50 (g)
- Proteins 18.36 (g)
- Fat 32.37 (g) of which saturated 7.80 (g)of which unsaturated 0.00 (g)
- Fibers 12.50 (g)
- Sodium 1,973.87 (mg)
Indicative values for a portion of 125 g processed in an automated way starting from the nutritional information available on the CREA* and FoodData Central** databases. It is not food and / or nutritional advice.
* CREATES Food and Nutrition Research Center: https://www.crea.gov.it/alimenti-e-nutrizione https://www.alimentinutrizione.it ** U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov
Ingredients for 2 people
- 1.1 lbs broad beans (in pod)
- 1.8 oz pecorino
- 3.5 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- to taste salt
Tools
- 1 Pot (with 1 qt capacity)
- 1 Pot (with 3 qt capacity)
- 1 Cutting Board
- 1 Knife
- 1 Food Processor
Procedure
Broad beans are an ingredient I love and use often in the kitchen, but remember to use them with care. They can cause severe allergic reactions in some people (favism). Handle with care, and if it’s your first time trying them, taste a small amount.
Shell the broad beans by removing them from the outer pod; from 500 g, you will end up with about 150 grams of finished product. It’s a tedious but very simple task.
Blanch the broad beans in boiling water for 2-3 minutes. You will see that the skin will cook and become whiter, almost transparent.
This step is important to remove the skin that gives a bitter taste to medium/large broad beans.
Drain the broad beans from the boiling water and immerse them in very cold water to stop the cooking and set the bright color.
With your hands or using a paring knife, cut/open the top part of the skin. You will notice that by gently pressing at the base, the broad beans will pop out of their casing.
Place the peeled broad beans in a mortar (or the bowl of a food processor), add half the oil, the salt, and the cheese, and start crushing (or blending) until you obtain a thick and creamy bright green paste.
Chop or crush (if using the mortar) until you obtain a smooth, homogeneous green cream that you can use in many recipes.
You can use the pesto immediately or store it in the refrigerator with a layer of extra virgin olive oil on top to prevent oxidation and loss of its bright color.
Your broad bean pesto is ready, now you just have to enjoy it!
Plating Tips:
To make the dish with broad bean pesto more appealing and increase its impact during presentation, you can serve the tonnarelli with broad bean pesto in a small mortar. They are available on the market at fairly competitive prices (almost like a regular plate).
Wine Pairing for Broad Bean Pesto:
I recommend an aromatic white wine like Alto Adige Traminer, which pairs well with this hearty and flavorful pesto.
