It doesn’t take a lot of shelling to get a half cup of fava beans, so this is a pretty hands-off recipe. The rich flavor of the broth is worth the long cook time, and the heartiness of the finished stew is perfect for the overcast spring days we’ve been having.
Chard from the Weston-Miles home garden.
Scafata (Umbrian Fava Bean Stew)
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 cup shelled fava beans
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/3 cup sliced carrots
1/4 cup chopped fennel
1 1/2 cups chopped chard leaves
1 1/2 cups chopped, peeled tomatoes
salt, pepper
Cook oil, beans, onion, fennel, carrot and chard over low heat in medium saucepan.
When beans are quite tender, after about 45 minutes, add tomatoes and cook for another 25 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Source: La Cucina Delle Regioni D’Italia: Umbria, by Antonella Santolini
*We recommend doubling this recipe to enjoy leftovers.
With a chunk of fresh bread and a glass of your favorite wine, dinner is served!
Lindsey works at Weston Miles Architects as a sustainability coordinator and part-time blog and website guru, among other tasks. She is formally educated in passive energy conservation and design, but is an environmental enthusiast in pretty much all areas one can be.
Step 1: what carrot????
Good catch. Lesley says she used about a third cup of sliced carrots.