Beans are hailed for their amazing food value housed in such a little shell. The fabulous folks at Food & Wine have done it again with this goodie…
Fava Bean Pasta e Fagioli Recipe by Mike Lata | Food & Wine
3 pounds fava bean pods, shelled
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for serving
2 thick slices of lean, meaty bacon, cut crosswise 1/2 inch thick
1 large carrot, halved lengthwise and cut crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick half-moons
1 medium onion, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 large garlic clove, very finely chopped
One 3-inch-long rosemary sprig
1 quart chicken stock or low-sodium broth
1 cup tubetti or other small pasta
Salt
Freshly ground pepper
Freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, for serving
Bring a large saucepan of water to a boil. Add the shelled fava beans and blanch until bright green, about 1 minute. Drain and peel the favas.
In a large saucepan, heat the 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Add the bacon and cook over moderate heat until starting to brown, about 4 minutes. Add the carrot, onion, garlic and rosemary and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the stock, cover and simmer over low heat until the carrot is tender, about 6 minutes.
Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan of boiling salted water, cook the pasta until al dente. Drain.
Discard the rosemary sprig and season the soup with salt and pepper. Add the favas, pasta and mint leaves. Spoon the soup into bowls, drizzle with olive oil and serve, passing the cheese at the table.
MAKE AHEAD
The blanched and peeled fava beans can be refrigerated separately overnight. The recipe can be prepared through Step 3 and refrigerated overnight. Gently reheat the soup before proceeding.
VerumVita 