Fava Bean Dip
Fava beans are an ancient food, with deep roots in Mediterranean cuisine. They are a broad bean and only the inner pea is consumed. Shelling and peeling favas takes time and patience, but the rewards are a flavor uniquely fresh and a vibrant green that is a harbinger of spring.
Fava Bean Dip
Makes 1 cup (serves 8 when accompanied by one or two other dips)
2-1/2 pounds fresh, unshelled, fava beans
1 clove garlic
6 English walnut halves
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon sumac
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup Italian parsley leaves
1-1/3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons olive oil
To serve: crackers or cubed sourdough bread
Directions
Remove fava beans from their outer pods. Bring a saucepan of water to boil and lightly salt. Add beans and blanch for 30 seconds. Remove from heat and drain in a colander under cold water.
Peel each bean. Slit or break the peel and squeeze the bean out. When finished, you will have about ¾ cup of peeled beans.
Place the garlic and walnuts in a small blender or food processor and puree. Add all the other ingredients and pulse on and off until the dip is smooth. Taste and adjust seasonings.
Transfer dip to a small bowl, arrange on a tray, and serve with crackers or cubed sourdough bread.
Sally Uhlmann’s passion for cooking led her to publish a memoir-style cookbook, “Just Cook with Sally.” She splits her time between the States and her farmhouse in Cortona, Italy, when she is not traveling the world. Sally cooks, develops recipes, and writes stories—mostly about the intersection of food, travel, and her life.
