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Broad Beans and Chicory

Preparation time:

Cooking time:

Ingredients

Level

30 minutes

2 hours and 20 minutes

Ingredients for 4 people

Very Easy

Broad Beans and Chicory

The dish Fave e Cicoria is deeply rooted in the culinary history of Puglia, a sun-kissed region in Southern Italy bordered by the waters of the Mediterranean. Being a simple and nutritious meal, it has peasant origins, born from the need to create hearty meals with readily available ingredients.

Fava beans have been cultivated in the Mediterranean for thousands of years. In ancient Rome, they were considered a food of the gods and were consumed during celebrations in honor of deities like Demeter and Persephone. In Puglia, thanks to the ideal climate and fertile soils, fava beans found a perfect environment to thrive, becoming a fundamental ingredient in the local diet.

Chicory, with its green leaves and its distinctively bitter taste, grows wild in the Puglian fields. Puglian farmers soon discovered that the bitterness of chicory perfectly balances the earthy sweetness of the fava beans.

Over the centuries, Fave e Cicoria has become more than just a simple meal for peasants. It's a celebration of Puglia, of its fertile land, and its ancient culinary traditions. Every spoonful of this dish is a testament to the simplicity, ingenuity, and passion with which the Puglians have always approached their cuisine.

Ingredients

Ingredients for 4 people:


  • 600 gr of chicory

  • 300 gr of peeled dried broad beans

  • Slices of homemade bread (as needed)

  • 3 bay leaves

  • Salt

  • Credo Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Preparation

Preparation: Soak the dried fava beans in cold water for about twelve hours (prepare them in the evening to cook them the next day). The next day, drain the fava beans, rinse them under running water, and cook them in a large pot, covering them just with water and adding 2-3 bay leaves.


Close the pot with a lid and let the fava beans cook on low heat for at least two hours, adding hot water if needed should they dry out. During these two hours, the fava beans will release a foam that should be removed with a skimmer.


In the meantime, thoroughly wash the chicory under running water and drain them, then trim by using a knife to remove the harder part (the white section at the bottom that holds the leaves together). Briefly blanch the chicory in boiling salted water for a few minutes, stirring with a spoon.


Once they are tender, drain and set them aside. By this time, the fava beans should have finished cooking: they will be ready when, stirring continuously with a wooden spoon, they break down easily into a roughly textured purée. Season the fava beans, and once ready, arrange the traditional fava beans and chicory dish divided in half: fava beans on one side and chicory on the other.


Drizzle everything with Credo extra virgin olive oil and serve the fava beans and chicory accompanied by slices of Altamura bread.

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