Fava Bean Purée
- Total Time
- About 30 minutes
- Rating
- Comments
- Read comments
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Ingredients
- 4pounds fava beans, shelled
- Salt to taste about 1 teaspoon
- 1garlic clove, mashed in a mortar and pestle with ¼ teaspoon salt
- ⅓ to ½cup extra virgin olive oil
- Imported black olives for garnish
Nutritional analysis per serving (8 servings)
300 calories; 13 grams fat; 2 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 8 grams monounsaturated fat; 2 grams polyunsaturated fat; 40 grams carbohydrates; 17 grams dietary fiber; 21 grams sugars; 18 grams protein; 348 milligrams sodium
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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Preparation
- Step 1
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Fill a large bowl with ice water. Drop the shelled fava beans in the water, and boil five minutes (if the beans are small or medium-size) to eight minutes (if the beans are large). Transfer the beans immediately to the cold water. Do not drain the water in the pot. Allow the beans to cool for several minutes, then drain and slip off their skins.
- Step 2
Place the skinned fava beans, salt and mashed garlic in a food processor fitted with the steel blade. Turn on the machine, and with the machine running, add the olive oil in a slow stream. Process until you achieve a smooth purée. If necessary, add enough of the cooking water to give the purée a soft, hummuslike consistency. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, taste and adjust seasoning.
- Step 3
Mound the purée onto an earthenware platter or in a wide bowl. Garnish with olives, and serve with crostini or warm triangles of pita bread.
- To skin favas, bring a medium pot of salted water to a boil. Fill a bowl with ice water. Drop the shelled fava beans into the water, and boil them for five minutes. Drain, and transfer immediately to the cold water. Allow the beans to cool for several minutes, then, holding several beans in one hand, slip off their skins by pinching the eye of the skin and squeezing gently. Place the shelled favas in a bowl.
- Advance preparation: This will keep for three or four days in the refrigerator.
Private Notes
Comments
4 pounds is before they are shelled.
A puree is a good use of Fava beans that are over ripe and dry, but you need to cook them to soften them. mmmmmm! On grilled bread with plenty of olive oil......
This was outstanding!! I added some black truffle salt, otherwise followed the recipe. Yes it is a lot of work, but in my opinion the result was well worth it - the purée was bursting with flavor, and had a smooth and creamy finish. I stored what was not consumed the day I made it in a sealed glass jar and it kept just fine, it was gone within two days.
Handed a quart (~2 lbs) of fresh fava beans from CSA farm allotment, I gave this a try. After all the work that went into getting these beans in the food processor -- the shelling, the boiling, the ice-water bathing, the peeling of Every. Single. Bean. -- the final half-recipe had better taste like a hot fudge sundae, right? It does not. I may yet have crafted the finest, most delicious fava bean puree that is fit for royalty, but it remains... a homely bean paste. High effort, low reward.
I just harvested fava beans from my garden. I am getting about 1 cup of peeled fava from 2 pounds of fresh pods.