For Donatella, fava beans were an acquired taste. "When I was a child, I hated them," she says. Shes come around to the hearty, healthy bean and has always been a fan of dandelion greens, an ingredient that many Italians believe calms the stomach. Timing note: The favas need to soak overnight.
Keep a pot of boiling water on the stove so you can add boiling water to the beans as needed.
Recipe information
Yield
Makes 6 servings
Ingredients
Preparation
Step 1
Place fava beans in medium bowl. Pour enough water over to cover by 2 inches. Cover and let soak at room temperature overnight. Drain fava beans. Peel off outer shell and skin from beans and discard.
Step 2
Place fava beans in large saucepan. Add 8 cups water, potato, onion, and carrot and bring to boil, skimming off any foam that rises to surface with large spoon. Reduce heat to medium; add pinch of salt and simmer uncovered until beans are very soft, stirring occasionally and adding more boiling water as needed to keep beans submerged, about 1 hour 45 minutes. Drain. Transfer bean mixture to processor and puree until almost smooth. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Transfer fava bean puree to bowl.
Step 3
Heat 2 tablespoons oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add dandelion greens, garlic, and crushed red pepper; sauté until greens wilt, about 2 minutes. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Place greens atop fava bean puree. Drizzle with remaining 1 tablespoon oil; sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.
Step 4
- Available at some supermarkets and at specialty foods stores and Italian and Middle Eastern markets.
