Fave e Cicoria (Puglian Fava Bean Puree with Chicory)
An ancient ‘cucina povera’ dish from southern Italy, Fave e Cicoria is a perfect example of humble ingredients made great. Dried fava beans slowly cooked into a purée, topped with bitter wild chicory softened gently in olive oil with garlic. It’s humble, nourishing, and deeply delicious.
Servings: 6
Calories: 346kcal
Ingredients
- 500 g dried fava beans
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 litre vegetable broth/stock or chicken
- Salt and pepper
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 300 g chicory medium/large bunch
- 2 cloves garlic peeled
Instructions
- Soak fava beans in plenty of cold water overnight (at least 8 hours). Drain, then pinch each bean to remove and discard the skins.
- Add beans to a pan with the bay leaf and all the stock to cover. Bring to a gentle simmer.
- Cook over low heat for 50–60 minutes, stirring regularly, until very soft and no longer chalky. Add more stock if needed for a loose, porridge-like consistency.
- Remove from heat, season well with salt & pepper, then blend, using an immersion blender until smooth. Adjust thickness with more stock if needed (it will thicken as it cools).
- Rinse chicory, chop into smaller pieces, and discard any woody stems.
- Heat olive oil in a pan, briefly fry garlic, then add chicory with a splash of water or stock. Cover and cook over medium heat for about 5 minutes until tender. Season with salt & pepper.
- Rest everything for about 15 minutes and then spread the warm fava purée onto a platter, top with chicory, drizzle generously with extra-virgin olive oil, and serve warm or cool more (lightly covered) and serve at room temperature.
Notes
Substitutions & Suggestions
This is a deeply traditional dish and best enjoyed as intended. Optional additions include fresh herbs for fragrance or grilled fennel-rich Italian sausages for a non-vegetarian version (not traditional, but excellent).Serving & Storage
Serve warm (not hot) or at room temperature. The purée will thicken as it sits; loosen with extra stock or a little melted butter if preferred.- Fridge: keeps 3–4 days
- Freezer: freeze the purée only (up to 3+ months); cook chicory fresh after thawing
Nutrition
Calories: 346kcal | Carbohydrates: 53g | Protein: 23g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Sodium: 22mg | Potassium: 1046mg | Fiber: 23g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 1129IU | Vitamin C: 5mg | Calcium: 114mg | Iron: 6mg