Broad Beans

The broad bean is a typical legume of Puglia. They are sown in the autumn and winter months and once harvested they can be eaten raw, becoming a tasty ingredient for salads or main courses. Among the fava recipes is fava puree with wild chicory (in dialect favi cu li cicureddi). In this dish, made with simple ingredients, you can find all the rural tradition of Apulia. The broad beans are cooked slowly until they have the consistency of a protein-rich cream (or puree), which can be combined with various vegetables such as chicory, peppers, lampascioni, red carrots or fried fish. Broad beans can also be mashed and dried, making them available all year round. One of the most popular ways to prepare them is to wash them raw and fry them in extra virgin olive oil with finely chopped spring onions. Other recipes combine them with pasta, mussels and shellfish.