After the past Christmas celebrations there’s a need to go back to eating healthy, lightly seasoned foods. This brings to mind some dishes my grandmother used to prepare in winter, what today we’d call Comfort Food — made from humble ingredients but no less delicious.
My absolute favorite has always been a typical dish of poor Apulian cuisine: the recipe for FAVA BEANS and CHICORY which, paired with a slice of whole-grain toast, makes a complete one-dish meal — low in fat but very flavorful.
A very simple recipe to prepare, rich in protein and light, containing just a few ingredients: fava beans, potatoes, an unusual ingredient like chicory (which you can easily substitute with spinach or chard) and extra-virgin olive oil.
It’s a dish with very few calories, recommended especially for those seeking an alternative to animal protein sources; it will help you feel full without feeling “punished” if you’re dieting.
In fact, fava beans, especially dried ones, are excellent sources of protein — they contain roughly the same amount, or even more, than meat and about double that of cereals.
To make the fava bean and chicory purée into a main dish you can serve it with slices of toasted whole-grain bread or use it as a sauce for pasta. Try it and you’ll see how rich and enveloping its flavor is.
FAVA BEAN PUREE with CHICORY as Grandma made it
- Difficulty: Very easy
- Cost: Very economical
- Preparation time: 30 Minutes
- Cooking time: 2 Hours 30 Minutes
- Portions: 2
- Cooking methods: Stove
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: Autumn, Winter
- Energy 545.84 (Kcal)
- Carbohydrates 74.75 (g) of which sugars 5.12 (g)
- Proteins 24.53 (g)
- Fat 16.57 (g) of which saturated 2.58 (g)of which unsaturated 1.81 (g)
- Fibers 21.96 (g)
- Sodium 589.75 (mg)
Indicative values for a portion of 300 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
- 10 cups chicory (or spinach or chard (about 10.6 oz / 300 g raw))
- 1 cup dried shelled fava beans (decorticated (about 7 oz / 200 g))
- 2 medium potatoes (medium)
- 3 leaves bay leaves
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 pinch salt
- to taste black pepper (ground)
Tools
- 1 Pot
- 1 Immersion blender
Steps
FAVA BEAN PUREE with CHICORY – DIET RECIPE
Soak the dried shelled fava beans in cold water; I leave them to soak for at least one night (12 hours). If you’re in a hurry or forgot them, soak for at least 2 hours before cooking.
After soaking, rinse the fava beans, place them in a large pot and add enough water to cover them by about 2 inches.
Add the potatoes peeled and cut into small cubes and two bay leaves.
Cook over low heat for at least 2 hours, adding hot water if necessary in case the mixture dries out.
During cooking, remove the white foam that forms on the surface with a spoon or skimmer.
They are ready when they fall apart. At that point remove the bay leaves and, using the back of a spoon, mash them well.
You should obtain a fairly smooth purée; if needed, give it a few pulses with the immersion blender.
While the fava beans are cooking, prepare the chicory: trim the tough white part at the bottom with a knife. Blanch the leaves briefly in salted boiling water for a few minutes and as soon as they are tender, drain and set aside.
Now you can compose the plate. Tradition would have the dish served half with the fava purée and half with the chicory, but I personally prefer to create a bed of purée and place the chicory in the center.
Dress everything with extra-virgin olive oil, salt and pepper.
STORAGE
You can store the fava bean purée and chicory in the refrigerator in an airtight container or covered with plastic wrap for up to 3 days.
NOTES AND TIPS
DRIED FAVA BEANS: I recommend buying dried shelled fava beans, as they require less soaking time. Alternatively you can buy unshelled dried favas, but it will be essential to soak them overnight.
CHICORY: The original recipe calls for “wild chicory” but you can alternatively use cultivated chicory which is milder and more delicate, or other leafy greens such as chard or spinach.
TIPS: If you want to reduce the cooking time of the fava purée you can use a pressure cooker, keeping the heat low afterwards.
Key to flavor is the addition of two or three bay leaves during cooking, which will give a special aroma to the fava purée.
To make the chicory tastier, if your diet allows, you can sauté it in a pan with olive oil, garlic and chili before plating.
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FAQ (Questions and Answers)
How long should dried fava beans be soaked?
It is recommended to soak dried FAVA BEANS for at least 8 hours, preferably 12 hours. Then drain them and transfer to a pot with cold water. Bring the water to a boil and continue cooking over low heat for about 60 minutes or until they are soft.
How to reheat fava beans and chicory?
To reheat fava beans and chicory you can sauté them for a few minutes in a pan over low heat or put them in the microwave.
How many calories do fava beans and chicory have?
Fava beans and chicory: this traditional Apulian recipe contains about 371 calories per serving but if considered as a one-dish meal this is actually a very modest calorie amount.
