This makes the second year in a row I’ve planted fava beans. I originally did it because of my friend Patti. (She likes to be called Patricia but I’ve been calling her Patti for 18 years now and I can’t stop now.) So Patti told me that favas are a good cover crop. They add nitrogen to the soil, which means that right after they’re harvested you can grow another crop of something else right on the top of where they were.
I now grow them because they are so tasty.
I’ve never published a recipe in my blog before. Here is the reason why: I’m not good at that measurement part, I’m not good at remembering where the recipe came from and I’m not good at writing them down.
See my dilemma?
Patti, the one who likes to be called Patricia, also gave me this recipe for fava beans
and it was from some kind of eating light or heart healthy cookbook or something like that. I made it with fresh fava beans from my garden and I liked it. My kids ate it which, of course, is the true test of a recipe at my house.
So I thought I would pass it on.
Patti’s Fantastic Light Fava Bean Pasta
About 1 cup of fava beans--hulled and blanched with the waxy outer shell taken off.
(You need about a third to a half a shopping bag full of fava beans to get one cup you can actually eat. )
About 1 pound of dry pasta like Cappelletti, radiattore or fusilli whatever you have.
About 1 cup of ricotta cheese
About 1 cup of pasta water
About 1 cup of parmegeana
About 1/3 cup of fresh mint chopped
Salt and pepper to taste
Boil the pasta
Drain the water
Reserve 1 cup of pasta water
Mix everything up in the pot and serve
You can grate a little more parmesean and throw it on top if you like.
Serve with Chianti, of course.
I made it with grilled chicken once and it was really good. Don’t tell Patti because she’s a vegetarian.
My friend Patti is reading this right now rolling her eyes, swearing under her breath and saying “This is not the recipe I gave her!”
Thank you, Patti.
That sounds like a great recipe :)
Posted by: CG | May 03, 2007 at 03:34 AM
CG,
It is good for you too.
Posted by: chigiy | May 03, 2007 at 06:40 PM
CG,
I tried to leave a comment on your blog but you are not set up to recieve comments from Typepad subscribers:(
Posted by: chigiy | May 03, 2007 at 07:14 PM
I would grow Fava Beans just because the plants look great ... it's an added bonus to be able to eat them too!
The recipe sounds delicious ... is Patti your friend who doesn't like spiders??
My liverlilies are still in bloom even though the winds have been brutal the past few days.
Posted by: kate | May 03, 2007 at 08:51 PM
Thanks for visiting my blog Chigiy. Yours is great - I'll be sure to visit regularly. Great beans - mine are not even flowering yet. English weather - blah !!!
Posted by: Lorraine | May 04, 2007 at 12:10 AM
Kate,
Patti is my friend who hates snakes. I like snakes and I like having them in my garden, but I can never tell her that I see them from time to time or she would never come over to my house. Oh, I hope she doesn't read this. If she does, I was only kidding about the snakes.
Posted by: chigiy | May 04, 2007 at 09:45 PM
Lorraine,
Thanks for visiting my blog. You weather will heat up soon:)
Posted by: chigiy | May 04, 2007 at 09:46 PM
I can't think about fava beans without thinking about Hannibal Lector ;~)
Oh, and your columbines are soooo pretty!
Posted by: deb | May 06, 2007 at 08:39 AM
i'm going to try it. I'll let you know how it turns out! i love recipes that showcase garden produce
Posted by: danielle | May 09, 2007 at 07:41 PM