Creamy Casarecce with Fava Beans and Tomato: a simple and quick first course to prepare.
Fresh fava beans are undoubtedly the undisputed stars of spring, so I thought to offer you a creamy first course with fava beans. The result? A comforting sauce, with a bright color and delicate flavor.
A simple recipe that will win you over at the first bite.
Let’s see right away how to prepare creamy casarecce with fava beans and tomato.
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- Difficulty: Very easy
- Cost: Very inexpensive
- Preparation time: 20 Minutes
- Cooking time: 15 Minutes
- Portions: 2 Servings
- Cooking methods: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: Spring
Ingredients
- 6 oz pasta (casarecce or maccheroncini)
- 11 oz fava beans (fresh, weight before shelling)
- 1/4 cup tomato purée (passata)
- 1 glass water
- to taste extra virgin olive oil
- to taste salt
- to taste fresh spring onion (or one clove of garlic for the soffritto (optional))
Tools
- 1 Frying pan
- 1 Immersion blender
- 1 Pot
How to prepare creamy casarecce with fava beans and tomato
Start by shelling the fava beans from their pods. For an excellent result, make a small cut in the outer skin of each bean and remove it, keeping only the green heart.
In a large frying pan, heat a drizzle of oil. Add the fava beans and sauté for a couple of minutes over medium heat. Season with salt.
Pour in the glass of water and the small cup of tomato purée. Let cook until the fava beans are tender and the liquid has slightly reduced (but not completely dry).
Reserve a handful of whole fava beans for the final garnish. Transfer the rest of the pan’s contents to a container and blend with the immersion blender. If the cream is too thick, add a few drops of water.
Cook the pasta in plenty of salted water. Drain it al dente, reserving a little of the cooking water.
Pour the fava bean cream back into the pan, add the pasta and toss everything for a minute, adding cooking water if necessary to make it creamy.
Serve the pasta piping hot, decorating each plate with the reserved whole fava beans and, if you like, a final drizzle of uncooked olive oil.
Storage
It is preferable to consume the dish immediately. If you have leftovers, you can store them in the refrigerator for one day in an airtight container. In that case, reheat in a pan, adding a little water to restore creaminess.
FAQ (Questions and Answers)
Don’t have fresh fava beans?
You can use frozen ones; be sure to blanch them for a minute to remove the skin easily.
Want a savory twist?
You can add crispy guanciale or grated salted ricotta on top.
