Fava Bean Pesto With Mint And Anchovy Recipes

FAVA BEAN PESTO

Steps:

• In a blender, puree all ingredients, except the Parmesan, bread, and manouri, until all ingredients are smooth. The pesto should be thick. Season with salt and black pepper. Fold in the Parmesan cheese. Brush the bread with olive oil and grill or toast. Spread the pesto on the toast and top with manouri.

PASTA WITH MINT PESTO AND FAVA

Steps:

• Bring a small pot of water to a boil; add 1 tablespoon salt. Blanch fava beans until bright green and tender when pinched, about 2 minutes. Transfer beans with a slotted spoon to a colander and run under cold water to stop the cooking. When cool, peel off the tough outer skins, squeezing the beans from the skins (discard skins).
• Pulse almonds with garlic in a food processor until coarsely ground. Add cheese and the oil; process to a coarse paste. Add mint, and pulse a few times until coarsely chopped. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer to a small bowl, and top with a thin layer to preserve the color.
• Bring a large pot of water to a boil; add 2 tablespoons salt. Cook pasta until al dente according to package instructions (about 4 minutes for dried, 1 minute for fresh); reserve 1/2 cup cooking water, then drain pasta. In a warmed serving bowl, mix pesto with enough reserved cooking water, then drain pasta. In a warmed serving bowl, mix pesto with enough reserved cooking water to form a thin sauce. Add pasta and fava beans, and toss well to combine.
• To serve, divide pasta among four dishes, and top with meatballs; garnish with mint, and sprinkle with more cheese.

FAVA BEANS WITH CRèME FRAîCHE AND MINT

Steps:

• To prepare the favas, split open the pods and remove the beans. Meanwhile, bring a saucepan filled with salted water to a boil over high heat. Place a bowl filled with ice water near your stove top. Drop the beans into the boiling water and cook for 3 minutes (this is longer than most recipes instruct because the beans are not cooked again). Drain the beans and quickly plunge them into the ice water. With your fingernail, pierce the skin of each bean near one end and squeeze the bean gently to pop free of the skin. Don't worry if the beans separate into halves. You should have about 2 cups beans.
• In a bowl, whisk together the crème fraîche, olive oil, and salt and pepper to taste. Add the fava beans, mint leaves, and lemon zest and toss to combine. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or up to 2 hours before serving to chill and allow the flavors to meld.
• Taste and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper before serving. Serve chilled.