Dried fava bean macco with wild fennel and chestnuts, the Sicilian recipe for a San Giuseppe macco just like grandma used to make. The dried fava bean macco or San Giuseppe macco is a soup of Sicilian origin that, by tradition, is eaten on Saint Joseph’s Day, although it is prepared from autumn through spring throughout the region. This very tasty vegetarian and vegan soup, which has much in common with other southern Italian staples such as Apulian fava beans and chicory, is closely related to “pasta co’ maccu”, a dish typical of the San Giuseppe celebration in Ramacca, Catania province, and beyond. The macco of dried fava beans is made all over Sicily in many variations: while dried fava beans are the common element, you can find versions with broccoli, Swiss chard, cauliflower, wild fennel and even chestnuts. A very humble dish, once considered a sign of good fortune, it was offered at the end of the harvest by estate owners to all the farmworkers to celebrate the end of the work. Thanks to its creamy texture obtained by slow-cooking the beans until they completely break down, macco is a nutritious and filling preparation — a healthy and indulgent recipe best enjoyed in the colder months and that can also be made in spring with fresh fava beans. Served as a first course or as a main dish, especially when paired with pasta or vegetables, macco is a delicious recipe you absolutely must try — a tasty vegan dish that (without pasta) is also suitable for gluten-intolerant and celiac people, a healthy recipe with a low glycemic index and rich in plant proteins. The version we will make today is the same one my great-grandmother used to prepare — a family recipe I inherited from my aunt: macco of fava beans with chestnuts and wild fennel, which I believe is the best version. Want to try it too? Let’s go to the kitchen and prepare the dried fava bean macco of San Giuseppe with chestnuts and wild fennel together. Before we start, if you want to keep up with all my recipes you can follow my Facebook page (here) and my Instagram profile (here).
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- Difficulty: Very easy
- Cost: Very inexpensive
- Preparation time: 12 Hours
- Portions: 5
- Cooking methods: Low heat
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: All seasons
Ingredients to make macco of dried fava beans
- 2 1/2 cups dried fava beans (about 17.6 oz (500 g / ~1.1 lb))
- 7 oz dried chestnuts (about 1 1/4 cups (200 g))
- to taste salt
- 1 medium (about 4.2 oz / 120 g) onion (white or yellow)
- 1 tomato (ripe)
- 1 bunch wild fennel
- to taste extra virgin olive oil
Tools
- Terracotta pots or cast iron
Steps to make macco of dried fava beans
Rinse the dried fava beans several times, then place them in a large bowl, cover with cold water and let them rehydrate for at least 12 hours. Do the same with the chestnuts and let them rehydrate for the same time. The next morning the fava beans will have roughly doubled in volume, as will the chestnuts; drain both and remove any remaining inner skin from the chestnuts lodged in the folds. Put everything into a terracotta or cast-iron pot, or any pot with a thick bottom.
Add a tomato cut in half (seeded) and a roughly sliced onion, then cover with water up to about 3 cm above the level of the fava beans (about 1 3/16 in. above the beans). The water will be roughly three times the weight of the beans.
Place on the stove over moderate heat and wait for a light foam to form, which you should skim off with a fine skimmer or sieve (if using a terracotta pot, remember to use a flame tamer to prevent cracking). Once it reaches a boil, cover loosely with the lid, reduce the heat to the lowest setting and continue cooking for 1 hour. After this time, adjust the salt and continue cooking, stirring occasionally (in a terracotta pot frequent stirring isn’t necessary), until the fava beans have completely broken down into a flavorful creamy texture; add the boiled and well‑squeezed wild fennel and combine. Continue cooking for a few more minutes, then turn off the heat.
Cooking macco in a terracotta pot on very low heat is a very slow process and may take up to 3 hours; at the end of cooking you’ll judge the consistency according to the creaminess you prefer.
Macco tends to thicken when cold and become more solid, like a purée. You can dilute it with broth or boiling water to restore a velvety consistency. For pasta, take one part macco and dilute it with one part water, bring to a boil and add half as much pasta (by volume), cooking while stirring continuously until the pasta is done, adding water as needed.
Trim the wild fennel, removing the tougher parts, rinse it and plunge it into boiling water. Cook for 20 minutes or until softened, then chop it and add it to the macco.
Serve the macco hot with a generous drizzle of extra virgin olive oil, freshly ground pepper and freshly made bread croutons.
Macco of dried fava beans keeps in the refrigerator for 2 days in an airtight container or can be portioned and frozen for several months.
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