Scafata

This recipe truly highlights the beauty of favas beans. One of my favorite fresh beans. I made this Umbrian fava stew for brunch to go with poached eggs. But honestly it’s perfectly good as is with some good crusty Italian bread with or without eggs.

FResh favas are available fresh in spring through early summer. If you have a hard time finding fresh favas beans use lima beans or edamame. The recipe also calls for peas, greens and a few other spring vegetables. For the greens Tuscan kale, red chard or escarole work really well, they are traditional to this recipe. This simple stew can be served with pasta, but I like it with toasted bread and a good drizzle of cold pressed olive oil. Adding a poached egg makes it a delicious nutritious Sunday brunch.

I have made two variations of this dish. One as the recipe describes and the second I smashed 3/4s of the fava beans with an avocado and spread it on my toast like a spread. Both are fabulous ways to serve. I recommend you try both.

Ingredients

• 1 cup organic fresh or frozen fava beans or Lima beans or edamame lightly blanched
• ½ cup shelled fresh or frozen organic peas frozen peas, thawed
• 2 cups Tuscan kale or red chard organic , torn into bite-size pieces
• ¼ cup olive oil, plus more for drizzling
• 1 small onion thinly sliced
• 1/2 teaspoon red chile flakes
• 4 small garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 8 oz. tender asparagus  cut on a diagonal into 1” pieces
• 4’oz. baby zucchini with blossoms OR ½ lb prepared artichokes, fresh or frozen
• ¼ cup fresh basil leaves, torn
• ¼ cup fresh mint leaves, torn

To serve

• homemade or store-bought good quality pesto
• Kosher salt and pepper
• toasted crusty Italian bread
• For poached eggs (2 tablespoons white wine vinegar+ 4 large eggs)
• 2 oz. freshly grated Parmesan or Pecorino Romano, optional
• cold pressed extra virgin olive oil

Here’s how

Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat until oil begins to sizzle . Add sliced onions, garlic, chili, asparagus and whole baby zucchini or artichokes if using.

Lower the heat to medium cover cook, shaking pan occasionally, until asparagus is crisp-tender, about 2 minutes. Add scallions, fava beans, and peas; cover and cook until fava beans are just tender, about 2 minutes.
Add greens of your choice and cook, tossing, until the leaves are wilted asparagus and zucchini is soft but not mushy. Season with salt and pepper.

For poached eggs
Bring  2” water to a boil in a large saucepan; reduce heat so water is at a gentle simmer,  add vinegar. Crack an egg into a small bowl, then gently slide egg into water.

Repeat with remaining eggs, waiting until whites of eggs in water are opaque before adding the next egg (about a minute apart).

Poach until whites are firm and yolks start to firm up, about 3 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer eggs to paper towels as they are done.
Serve scafata topped with pesto, with or without eggs and Pecorino and drizzled with extra cold pressed olive oil.