Fava beans and chicory are one of the typical dishes of Apulian cuisine, particularly of the humble peasant cuisine, a recipe with few ingredients that is full of flavor. This dish from the Apulian tradition demonstrates that with a few inexpensive ingredients, you can create a dish with an exceptional taste. Dried fava beans become a genuine cream or puree with prolonged cooking, and their delicate flavor combines perfectly with the chicory’s characteristic bitterness. This creates a balanced dish that is completed with raw olive oil and croutons, making it a perfect vegetarian and vegan dish that is healthy and complete.
The preparation is very simple: after soaking the dried fava beans for at least one night, cook them with water and bay leaves for one to two hours. Remove the foam that forms on the surface during cooking, and at the end of cooking, season with salt and blend to turn the fava beans into a real puree. Blanch the chicory after cleaning it well and sauté it in a pan with oil, garlic, and, if desired, chili pepper. Serve the fava bean puree with chicory and a drizzle of oil.
An easy, healthy, rustic, and genuine recipe, so good that we have been eating it at least once a week, sometimes twice, for a while now. All you need to do is get some dried fava beans and chicory and try it as soon as possible!
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- Difficulty: Very Easy
- Cost: Very Economical
- Preparation time: 20 Minutes
- Portions: 4
- Cooking methods: Boiling, Stovetop
- Cuisine: Regional Italian
- Region: Apulia
- Seasonality: Fall, Winter, and Spring
Ingredients to Prepare Fava Beans and Chicory
- 14 oz dried fava beans
- 2.2 lbs chicory
- 1 clove garlic
- 2 leaves bay
- 1 chili pepper (optional)
- extra virgin olive oil
- salt
Tools to Prepare Fava Beans and Chicory
- 1 Pot
- 1 Pan
- 2 Stovetop
Steps to Prepare Fava Beans and Chicory
First, prepare fava beans and chicory by soaking the dried fava beans for at least 10 hours. You can soak them in cold water overnight and cook them the next day. Drain and rinse them well under running water, then boil them in a pot with bay leaves for about 1-2 hours. During cooking, foam will form on the surface, which you can skim off with a skimmer. At the end of cooking, they should be soft, and you should season them with salt. Blend using an immersion blender to obtain a fava bean puree.
Meanwhile, prepare the chicory: wash it, dry it, and blanch it for a few minutes. Drain it.
Pour the oil into a pan and sauté a garlic clove and, if you like, chili pepper. Add the chicory and cook for a few minutes.
Serve the fava beans with chicory, completing with a drizzle of raw olive oil.
Simo and Cicci Recommend
You can store fava beans and chicory well-sealed in an airtight container for up to three days. You can also freeze them separately.
If you use unpeeled fava beans, increase the soaking and cooking times.
For extra creaminess, you can also add potatoes to the fava beans.
To achieve a more or less creamy consistency, just add water.
Traditionally, wild chicory is used, but you can alternatively use cultivated chicory, cicoriella, or Swiss chard.
