Fava Bean Puree For Bruchetta

Margot shares her light and creamy puree is so bright green, you may find yourself accessorizing your table to set it off!

Ingredients
1lbs fresh fava beans (weigh after removing the pod, so start with approximately 3lbs)
1 quart water
1 tsp salt
1-2 cloves fresh garlic, peeled
3-6 Tbsp. really good extra-virgin olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Directions
After removing the thick, leathery pods from the beans, bring the water and salt to a boil in a medium saucepan. Drop in the favas and turn the heat off.

Let the favas sit in the hot water for 5 minutes. Drain into a colander over the sink. When cool enough to handle, but not cold, squeeze the beans out of their skins. Discard the skins (or feed to your chickens!). Put the beans in a bowl with the olive oil and mash with a fork. Place the garlic clove on your cutting board. Smash once with the flat side of your knife, sprinkle on a bit of kosher salt, and rub into the board using the flat side of your knife again. This will give you a rough puree instead of tiny chunks of garlic. Scoop into the bowl with the mashed favas. Stir well. Add salt and a few grinds of pepper to the bowl, and mix again.

The puree is best if allowed to sit for about an hour at room temp. or slightly cooler. At this point grill your bread, rub it with garlic and spoon on a bit of the fava bean puree. Drizzle a bit more olive oil on top, and add a few more grinds of pepper. If you’re really in the mood to splurge on flavor, add a few shards of aged pecorino.

This dish embodies spring-summer taste in both sight and smell. It’s amazing with any grilled poultry or fish, fantastic as a light brunch with a couple of poached eggs on a nice salad. I know most of you think fresh favas are a pain in the patooty, but they are so worth it, and it gets faster the more you do it! Also, if you get a few fava-loving friends and do several pounds, you can freeze them in small packages for a burst of creamy bright green flavor anytime.