Fava Bean Cream

La storia di questo piatto

Maccu di fave is the ancient pulse of Sicily itself — a dish born from poor earth and fierce sun, carried across millennia by hands that knew hunger and knew beauty in equal measure. It is the soul of the interior island, where Greek temples still dream above fields of wild fennel and stone.

Ingredienti

• 500 g Hulled dried fava beans
• 1500 ml Water
• 80 ml Sicilian extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tablespoon Dried wild fennel
• 5 g Sea salt
• 2 g Freshly ground black pepper
• 1 piece Onion

Preparazione

1. Place the dried fava beans in a colander and rinse them under cold running water from the tap, rubbing them gently between your hands. You will see the gray dust wash away: keep rinsing until the water flowing out is no longer cloudy but clear and transparent, and the fava beans appear clean.
2. Pour the rinsed fava beans into a large pot and cover them completely with cold water: the beans must be submerged at least 5 centimeters deep. Add one whole onion (you can leave the skin on). Turn the heat to maximum and wait for the water to boil vigorously: you will hear the sound of bubbles rising up quickly and see dense steam rising from the pot.
3. As soon as the water boils, reduce the heat to the lowest setting: there should be only a small flame under the pot. Let the fava beans cook very slowly for about 180 minutes: the water should barely tremble, with just a few bubbles rising from the bottom every now and then. Every 30 to 40 minutes, stir with a spoon to distribute the heat evenly. The fava beans are cooked when you can crush them easily against the bottom of the pot with the spoon and find no resistance: they will break apart like butter.
4. Take a wooden spoon and begin mashing the fava beans against the bottom and sides of the pot, using firm, strong circular motions. Continue crushing until you achieve a smooth and compact cream with no whole pieces of fava bean visible. If you still feel hard lumps beneath the spoon as you push it through, keep mashing with vigor: it will take several minutes of determined work.
5. Remove the onion (it will be very soft and practically falling apart) with a fork and discard it. Taste the puree: if it needs salt, add just a pinch at a time and stir well before tasting again. If the puree is too thick and resists mixing, add warm water one spoonful at a time, always stirring. Continue until it reaches a creamy, soft consistency that flows gently onto the plate when you pour it: it should be as fluid as a velvety soup, not stiff or rigid.
6. Pour the still-hot puree into bowls, creating an even pool in the center of each one. Drizzle extra virgin olive oil in a thin stream over the entire surface: it should glisten and cover the puree generously. Sprinkle it with dried wild fennel (or finely minced fennel seeds) and add a generous grinding of fresh black pepper. Serve immediately while the puree is still hot.