Have you just prepared fresh fava beans and found yourself with a mountain of empty pods? Don’t throw them away!
Especially if they are young and tender, fava bean pods can turn from waste to a valuable resource in the kitchen.
This zero-waste recipe will guide you step by step to retrieve the pods, cleaning them carefully (yes, you’ll need that little knife!), to turn them into a simple, flavorful, and incredibly sustainable dish.
It’s the perfect way to celebrate the generosity of spring and minimize waste.
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- Difficulty: Very Easy
- Cost: Economical
- Rest time: 10 Minutes
- Preparation time: 25 Minutes
- Portions: 4
- Cooking methods: Boiling, Stove
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: Spring
- Energy 137.33 (Kcal)
- Carbohydrates 8.11 (g) of which sugars 4.91 (g)
- Proteins 7.75 (g)
- Fat 7.65 (g) of which saturated 0.77 (g)of which unsaturated 1.39 (g)
- Fibers 6.42 (g)
- Sodium 301.63 (mg)
Indicative values for a portion of 350 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
- 2.2 lbs fava bean pods
- 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 quart peeled cherry tomatoes
- to taste coarse salt
- 1 pinch black pepper
- 1 hot chili pepper
- 3.5 oz smoked ricotta
Tools
- 1 Knife Schwertkrone
- 1 Pot RB RENBERG
- 1 Pan Lagostina
Steps
Pod Selection and Cleaning:
Make sure to use only young, tender, and blemish-free fava bean pods.
Meticulously remove the tough strings along both edges of each half pod with a small knife.
Wash them very well under running water. You can leave them whole or cut them into pieces of about 1 inch.
Boiling the Pods:
Bring a large pot of slightly salted water to a boil. Drop in the cleaned pods and let them boil for about 10 minutes.
Sauce Preparation (While the Pods Boil): At the same time, prepare the sauce base. In a large saucepan, heat the EVO oil.
Add the garlic (whole or minced) and the chili pepper. Sauté gently for a minute.
Pour in the peeled tomato sauce, add a pinch of salt, and let it simmer over medium-low heat for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Combining and Final Cooking:
After 10 minutes of boiling the pods, drain them well from the water and transfer them directly into the simmering tomato sauce.
Gently stir. Lower the heat, partially cover, and let the pods cook in the sauce for another 10-15 minutes, or until they become very tender (taste a piece to check!).
If the sauce dries out too much, you can add a ladle of hot water.
Note: Depending on the initial tenderness of the pods, they may require more time to reach the desired consistency.
Finishing: Once the pods are cooked and the sauce has slightly thickened, turn off the heat.
Mix in the salted ricotta, taste, and adjust the salt if necessary.
Plating:
Serve the tomato fava bean pods hot.
Top each plate with a generous grating of salted ricotta and some fresh mint leaves torn by hand.
Storage, Tips, and Notes on Tomato Pods
Storage:
This dish keeps well in the refrigerator for 2-3 days, sealed in an airtight container. In fact, it’s often even tastier the next day!
You can also freeze it in portions, although the pods’ texture may soften slightly upon thawing.
Tips:
The tenderness of the pods is crucial: don’t hesitate to extend the cooking time in the sauce until they are really soft.
Cleaning the strings is essential to avoid hard parts in the finished dish.
You can use this rustic sauce as a side dish, an appetizer on bread crostini, or even as a sauce for a plate of short, rough pasta (e.g., orecchiette, cavatelli).
Notes: This recipe enhances a noble waste, turning it into a tasty and sustainable dish.
The combination of tomato, salted ricotta, and mint is a classic that pairs beautifully with the herbal flavor of the pods.
FAQ (Questions and Answers)
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) on Tomato Fava Bean Pods
Can I skip the initial boiling of the pods?
Boiling helps soften them more quickly. You could try cooking them directly in the sauce from raw (after cleaning), but you’ll need to significantly extend the cooking time in the tomato (probably 45-60 minutes or more), adding liquid as needed.
If I don’t have salted ricotta, what can I use?
You can use grated aged pecorino for a strong flavor, or omit the cheese for a simpler version.
Is mint essential?
Not essential, but it adds a note of freshness that pleasantly contrasts with the tomato and the saltiness of the ricotta. You can substitute it with fresh chopped parsley if you prefer.
