Chef Graziella
Asparagi al Forno con Parmigiano
Roasted asparagus finished with aged Parmigiano-Reggiano from the same region that grows the best spears. Four ingredients. No complications. Nothing to hide behind.
Culinary Explorer
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Fave e Cicoria
Created by
The peasant dish of Puglia where creamy dried fava beans meet bitter wild chicory, proving that poverty creates genius when you understand the poetry of contrast.
Side Dishes
Italian, Pugliese
Comfort Food
Weeknight
20 min
Active Time
1 hr 30 min cook•1 hr 50 min total
Yield4 servings
In Puglia, this is not a recipe. It is a birthright. Every home cook knows the proportions by instinct, learned at their mother's elbow, who learned at her mother's elbow, back through generations of contadini who understood that the humblest ingredients, prepared with patience, create food that no restaurant can equal.
The dried fava bean puree must be silky, almost ethereal, pale and mild. The chicory must be aggressively bitter, dark green, barely tamed by a quick sauté in good olive oil. You eat them together, the sweetness of the beans tempering the bitterness of the greens, the bitterness of the greens cutting through the richness of the beans. Neither is complete without the other. This is the genius of peasant cooking: balance through contrast, not through addition.
Americans want to add garlic, red pepper flakes, lemon juice. They cannot leave well enough alone. What you keep out is as significant as what you put in. The favas want only olive oil and salt. The chicory wants the same. Trust the ingredients to do their work.
Fave e cicoria has fed the peasants of Puglia since antiquity, when dried favas were among the few proteins available to those who worked the land. The Romans ate variations of this dish, and the pairing survived because it is nutritionally complete and requires only what grows freely in the Puglian countryside. Wild chicory, gathered from the fields, cost nothing at all.
The technique, the tradition, and the story behind every dish.
Discover Culinary ExplorerIngredients
dried split fava beans
Quantity
1 pound
yellow onion
Quantity
1 medium
halved
chicory or dandelion greens
Quantity
2 pounds
extra virgin olive oil
Quantity
6 tablespoons, divided, plus more for serving
garlic cloves
Quantity
2
lightly crushed
kosher salt
Quantity
to taste
| Ingredient | Quantity |
|---|---|
| dried split fava beans | 1 pound |
| yellow onionhalved | 1 medium |
| chicory or dandelion greens | 2 pounds |
| extra virgin olive oil | 6 tablespoons, divided, plus more for serving |
| garlic cloveslightly crushed | 2 |
| kosher salt | to taste |
Equipment Needed
- •Heavy 4-quart pot for the favas
- •Large pot for blanching greens
- •Large skillet
- •Wooden spoon
Instructions
- 1
Prepare the favas
Rinse the dried split fava beans under cold water. Place them in a heavy pot and cover with cold water by three inches. Add the halved onion. Do not add salt. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, then reduce to the gentlest bubble. Cook uncovered, stirring occasionally and adding water as needed to keep the beans submerged, until the favas have completely fallen apart into a puree. This takes 60 to 90 minutes. There is no shortcut.
Seek out fave secche sgusciate, the dried split favas with the brown skin already removed. Whole dried favas require overnight soaking and twice the cooking time. - 2
Finish the puree
When the favas have dissolved into a thick, creamy mass, remove and discard the onion. Beat the puree vigorously with a wooden spoon to make it smooth. It should have the consistency of loose mashed potatoes. Stir in three tablespoons of olive oil and salt to taste. The puree should be well seasoned. Cover and keep warm.
- 3
Clean the chicory
Trim the tough stem ends from the chicory. If the leaves are very large, cut them into pieces. Wash thoroughly in several changes of cold water. Wild greens hold dirt. Shake off excess water but do not dry completely. The water clinging to the leaves will help them cook.
- 4
Blanch the greens
Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil. Add the chicory and cook until tender but not mushy, 8 to 12 minutes depending on the toughness of the greens. They should bend easily but retain some texture. Drain well, pressing gently to remove excess water.
- 5
Sauté the chicory
In a large skillet, warm the remaining three tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat. Add the crushed garlic and let it perfume the oil for one minute. It must not brown. Add the blanched chicory and toss to coat with the oil. Season with salt. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove and discard the garlic.
The garlic here is a whisper, not a shout. You crush it to release its perfume, then remove it. What remains is fragrance, not flavor. - 6
Serve properly
Divide the warm fava puree among shallow bowls, spreading it across one side. Arrange the sautéed chicory alongside. Drizzle both generously with your finest olive oil. Serve immediately. You eat them together, a forkful of puree with a bite of greens. The contrast is the point.
Chef Tips
- •The quality of olive oil matters enormously here. Use your best Puglian oil if you can find it. The oil is not a cooking medium but a finishing element that you taste directly.
- •True wild chicory, catalogna, or puntarelle are ideal. Dandelion greens make an acceptable substitute. Do not use escarole or endive, which lack the necessary bitterness.
- •Puglians traditionally serve this with crusty bread and nothing else. It is a complete meal, not a side dish, though it works beautifully alongside grilled lamb or sausages.
- •If the puree thickens too much as it sits, stir in warm water to restore its creamy consistency. It should never be stiff.
Advance Preparation
- •The fava puree can be made one day ahead and refrigerated. Reheat gently with a splash of water, stirring to restore the creamy texture.
- •The chicory is best prepared just before serving. Blanched greens become waterlogged if they sit too long.
Frequently Asked Questions
Nutrition Information
1 serving (about 400g)
Calories
635 calories
Total Fat
23 g
Saturated Fat
3 g
Trans Fat
0 g
Unsaturated Fat
19 g
Cholesterol
0 mg
Sodium
700 mg
Total Carbohydrates
80 g
Dietary Fiber
38 g
Sugars
10 g
Protein
34 g
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