By Martha Rose Shulman
- Total Time
- About 30 minutes
- Rating
- 4(115)
- Notes
- Read community notes
You find variations on this fava bean purée in Southern Italy, the Middle East and Morocco. This one, from Apulia, is the simplest. The purée should have the texture of hummus.
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Ingredients
Yield:Eight servings
- 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
Ingredient Substitution Guide
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.
Tips
- 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.
Ratings
4
out of 5
115
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Cooking Notes
Martha Rose Shulman
4 pounds is before they are shelled.
demitra
made with my parents faves from the garden, it was fresh and delicious.
Harvey
Can this "Fava Mash be frozen? The most time intensive part of this recipe is shelling the fava beans & removing the skins. I bought the fava beans from the Rochester Public Market. The farmer said they were picked on the previous day, Friday. I didn't get to make the dish until Tuesday. The fava beans were in the fridge until I began shelling them!
stefanie
I had it in a restaurant in NYC - North Minzon, excellent fyi, and they used dried.
S.K. Sloan
Samer here; had this disch in a wonderful Manhattant restaurant, and thouugh it couldn't be too hard to make. Heavenly
Flavia
A delicious way to use Fava beans. We added a little lemon juice to brighten it.
Paul Schneider
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......
michael
I used freah
Margery Eriksson
Makes about 2 cups puree. Buy already shelled and de-skinned favas.
Ruby
We found this to be very delicious on toast with feta sprinkled on top. Admittedly a very carby vegetable on a toasted carbohydrate, but filling, simple and satisfying.
Harvey
The nutrition profile of this dish is quite good. I'm trying to use it as a substitute for raw mashed avocado (not guacamole). A variation of the morning spread I use on crispbread or a multi-grain/whole wheat yeast bread with fresh fruit (mango, blueberries, cherries, peaches, etc.)
Ellie
Confusion: Is this 4 lbs of beans *before* they are shelled or *after* they are shelled? I used the measure to mean before, which makes the most sense, but it yielded a soupy and over-salted mush, so there is something off about the numbers.
Martha Rose Shulman
4 pounds is before they are shelled.
annne w
whay does 4 # of unshelled fava beans yiel in therms of cups?
Scott
I'd guess about 2 cups. I just shelled 3 lbs and got maybe 1.5 cups.
jean
Do you need fresh fava beans or can you make with dried?
palmosa
They are usually dried.
Goga
You need fresh fava beans.
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