The Fava Bean and Potato Flans with Béchamel are a tasty and flavorful main course. You can use fresh or frozen fava beans, and they will be equally delicious.
- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Economical
- Preparation time: 45 Minutes
- Portions: 9 ramekins
- Cooking methods: Oven
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: Spring, Summer
Ingredients
- 1 1/4 cups milk
- 2 tbsps butter
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 pinches fine salt
- 2 pinches black pepper (ground)
- 9 oz fava beans (frozen)
- 5 oz potatoes (to peel)
- 1 pinch coarse salt
- 3 eggs
- 7 oz mozzarella for pizza
- 7 oz smoked bacon (diced, fried, optional)
- to taste black pepper (ground)
- to taste fine salt
- to taste butter (for greasing the ramekins)
- 1 1/2 oz breadcrumbs (seasoned with dehydrated garlic, finely chopped rosemary, and smoked paprika, for greasing the ramekins)
- 2 cups milk
- 2 tbsps butter
- 3 tbsps all-purpose flour
- 2 pinches fine salt
- 2 pinches black pepper (ground)
- to taste nutmeg
Steps
For the recipe, click here (following the doses present in this recipe). For convenience, find the essential steps below: melt the butter in a saucepan, add the flour. Stir with a wooden spoon until a well-mixed roux forms. Add the warm milk, salt, pepper, and a pinch of ground nutmeg. Cook until it thickens, always stirring with a whisk to avoid lumps. The mixture should be smooth and fluid. Cook for about 5-10 minutes.
Once defrosted, it will be very easy to remove the fava beans’ outer skin, as seen in the photos.
Place the previously shelled fava beans (you will get about 180g) and the potatoes cut in half or quarters, depending on size, in a pot with water. Cook for about 25 minutes, until tender.
Drain the vegetables, let them cool slightly, peel the potatoes. Place both the fava beans and the potatoes in a container and blend with an immersion blender.
You need to obtain a creamy consistency. Now add the previously prepared, slightly cooled béchamel, the eggs, and mix with a spatula. You can also use a whisk to remove any lumps.
Cut the mozzarella into small cubes and add it to the mixture, mixing all the ingredients well. Adjust the salt if necessary and add a pinch of pepper. You can add previously fried diced smoked bacon if you like.
Butter the ramekins and dust them with breadcrumbs. I seasoned it with dehydrated garlic, finely chopped rosemary, and smoked paprika.
Pour the mixture into the ramekins, filling them 3/4 full, place them on the oven tray, add water to the bottom. Bake at 356°F for about 50 minutes. Always do the toothpick test to check if they are cooked.
Tips and suggestions
I usually use frozen fava beans, making it much easier to remove the outer skin once thawed.
If you enjoyed the Fava Bean and Potato Flans with Béchamel, try other flans of:
