This recipe was adapted from Bon Appetit magazine by guest writer, Lauren Hidalgo.
I first made this recipe a few years ago, after a farm box arrived with fava beans, and I didn’t know what to do with them. Although it does involve some time to shuck, cook, and skin the fava beans, you’ll find the results well worth the effort. When fava beans are not in season use frozen edamame.
Serves 8 as an appetizer
Ingredients
- 1 cup shelled fresh fava beans (1 1/4 pounds in pods) or shelled fresh or frozen edamame (3/4 pound in pods)
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 1/2 cups packed arugula leaves, divided
- 3 tablespoons grated Pecorino Toscano or Parmigiano Reggiano, or more to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon grated lemon zest, or more to taste
- 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice, or more to taste
- sea salt
- freshly ground black pepper
- 1 baguette or one loaf artisan bread such as Pugliese, sliced
Method:
- Cook fava beans in boiling water, uncovered, until tender, about 2 to 3 minutes, then drain and transfer to an ice bath to stop the cooking. Gently peel off skins (if using edamame, there is no need to peel).
- Pulse beans in a food processor fitted with the metal chopping blade, until very coarsely chopped, then transfer half of the mixture to a large bowl. Add oil, 1/2 cup arugula, cheese, lemon zest and juice, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/8 teaspoon pepper to the food processor containing remaining beans and purée ingredients until smooth. Add to bowl with the coarsely chopped beans.
- Coarsely chop remaining cup arugula and gently fold into bean mixture. Add extra lemon zest, juice, or cheese to taste, if desired. You can also add more oil to thin the spread down if you find it too thick. The cheese is salty, so you won’t need to add more salt. Toast bread, and top with spread.
