Fava Bean Pasta with Butter Sauce

Fava Bean Flowers in the Garden

So I planted favas as a cover crop this past winter and they are going crazy right now. I know literally nothing about gardening, I overheard that favas renitrogenated the soil and that sounded good, so I did it in my veggie box.

It got OVERRUN with crazy favas, thankfully fava plants have pretty flowers that turn into yummy beans.  I finally got around to harvesting some of the beans, and pruning them back, the ultimate plan being to remove them and replace them with my favorite…..cucumbers.  Anyway, all the favas and talk of spring had me desperate to use them, so here is something for the whole family.

If you don’t have a crazy crop of favas nearby, or don’t want to deal with the de-podding and then de-waxification of the favas then this recipe would work well with english peas or regular old peas.  Fava beans are nutritionally superior to the pea, having a ton of protein are high in iron and fiber, so if you used peas, I would add a protein, my top choice being smoked cod.  I know it sounds weird, but you can buy it at the market already smoked so no extra prep, just heat it with the sauce and trust me…it is good.

Fava Beans in Their Shell

about 1 1/2 cups of shelled Fava beans.  First you need to shell the beans or get them out of the pod.  Do this by breaking each end and pulling the string that is released down the side.  Once you get the bean a little open the beans will easily come out and the rest of the pod will open.

Then you will need to set water to boil, blanch shelled beans in water for 3 min, rinse under cold water and then remove the waxy coating from the bean.  This can be done ahead of time and the beans can be refrigerated.

Fava Beans

Outer Coating of Fava Beans

1 stick of unsalted butter

1 large shallot or 1 leek chopped

Pasta (tagliatelle, linguine, or whatever you have on hand, if I could choose though I would go long)

handful of chopped Chives

dash of chopped Italian Parsley

Parm cheese

Set heavily salted water to boil for pasta.  While water is coming to a boil, melt butter on medium heat.  While butter is melting chop shallot or leeks and chives.  Add shallot or leek to the butter, saute until soft on medium to medium low heat.  You can add a splash of white wine here as well.  Once shallots are soft add prepared fava beans.  If pasta isn’t ready just keep sauce warm on low heat.  Once pasta is cooked al dente drain it, reserving 1 cup of the pasta water.  Return pasta to pan, add sauce with favas, season with salt and pepper and mix to combine.  Then add about 1/2 cup of the pasta water continuing to mix.  Taste for seasoning.  Place in bowl, add chives and parsley, stir gently and add fresh grated parm cheese on the top.

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