- Total Time: 1 hour
- Yield: 4-6 1x
Ingredients
- 1 lb. penne (or farfalle or ditali)
- 6 ounces pancetta, cubed or cut into strips
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 1 onion, chopped
- 2 cups fresh fava beans (about 2 lbs.)
- 1 cup vegetable or chicken broth
- Salt and pepper
- Pecorino Romano cheese (grated)
Instructions
- Bring a pot of salted water to boil for the pasta. Meanwhile, heat the oil and add the onion and sauté until translucent. Add the pancetta and cook until the fat begins to brown, but be careful not to make it crispy. Add the fava beans and cook for about 2 more minutes. Salt and pepper to taste. Add the broth and simmer for about 5 minutes. (Note: if you are using large fava beans, you should boil them for about 10 minutes prior to adding them to the pancetta.) Cook the pasta until 1 minute less then al dente, drain it, and add it to the fava bean mixture. Cook together for about a minute. (Note: if you would rather not add the broth above, retain about 1/2 cup of the pasta water and add it now.) Serve immediately, with a sprinkle of Pecorino cheese.
Ed's Review
Absolutely Favulous! Favtastic! This is no Favrication. Everyone loved it, Favmously. But before you commit to this springtime Favarite, a couple words of caution. First, in order to maximize pleasure, you might want to combine the beans with the 3 P’s: pasta, pancetta, and Pecorino.
Second, you must know that this dish is classic cucina rustica, or put another way, peasant food. This might be because it takes the patience of a saint (or a peasant) to shell fresh fava beans. It’s a double shelling process: first the pod, and then the skin on the bean, and it takes a pound of favas to yield a cup.
Favas are in season and delicious (if you can find them), so pour yourself a little verdicchio and embrace your inner peasant.
Buon Appetito!
Ed Garrubbo
Check out our wine pairings to complement this dish.
