BACELLI e PECORINO FRESCO (aka Fava Beans and Fresh Sheep’s Cheese)

The Italians love their seasonal specialties, and nothing says “Spring has Sprung” in Tuscany like the appearance of whole fava bean pods (= “bacelli”) in the supermarket aisles. You buy them by the handful, then serve them in a pile next to a chopping block with some fresh pecorino (sheep's milk) cheese. It’s an invitation to sit and chat for a while as everyone reaches out and grabs a pod and pops out the fresh beans. You can munch on them as you go, or else shell them all and them use them later cooked up as a side dish or in a pasta. And of course, the feast wouldn’t be complete without a nice glass of Chianti (even Hannibal Lecter knew it!).

The "Bacelli" (fava bean) pod has silky hairs inside

Fresh peas are also nice to try!              

Did you know….?

-- Fava beans, or broad beans (vicia faba) are one of the oldest crops in human history, and also one of the easiest to grow. Along with lentils, peas, and chickpeas, they are believed to have been part of the Mediterranean since 6,000 BC or earlier. It’s a hearty plant that can withstand rough climates as well as cold ones, and can also thrive in soil with high saline or clay content. It is one of the most universal foods in the world and is even part of the “national dish” in places as diverse as Egypt and Luxembourg! -- Fava beans were one of the main foods in Classical Greece and Rome, and fava bean purée with wild chicory is still a typical dish in Puglia, southern Italy.

-- In the Sichuan cuisine of China, fava beans are combined with soybeans and chili peppers to produce a spicy fermented bean paste, or eaten whole with slices of pork. -- In Egypt, fava beans are a common breakfast dish, mashed up with olive oil, garlic and lemon juice. Known as ful medames, it is traditionally eaten with bread and onions and is the Egyptian national dish. -- In central Mexico, mashed fava beans are a common filling for tortillas, and in Colombia they are most often used whole in soups. -- In the Netherlands, they are traditionally eaten with fresh sage and melted butter. -- The national dish of Luxembourg is “Judd mat Gaardebounen,” or smoked collar of pork with fava beans. -- In Iran, fava beans are one of the typical dishes in the north, cooked with garlic, dill weed, olive oil and duck eggs (you can substitute chicken eggs if you don't have any ducks!). 

-- In Greece they are eaten in a stew combined with artichokes, while they are still fresh in their pods. The Greek word fáva usually refers to the yellow split pea, which is boiled and served creamy, sprinkled with olive oil and garnished with a variety of condiments and seasonings such as diced onion, capers, parsley, pepper, lemon juice, etc. -- Fava beans are one of the most popular legumes in Ethiopia. A dish known as Gulban is made of peeled beans cooked with wheat, peas and chickpeas, and is done to mourn the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. Boq'ullit (boiled salted fava beans) is a common snack, especially in the evenings around “story-telling time” since they're easy to eat for the "old folks" who tell the stories (easy to chew and digest)! -- In Nepal, fava beans are called bakulla. They are eaten as a green vegetable when the pods are young, generally stir-fried with garlic. Dry, they make up a soup that supposedly reinvigorates the body affected by monsoon season. -- And my favorite: in the extinct Ubykh culture (a semi-nomadic people driven out of the Caucasus by the Russians in 1864), throwing beans on the ground and interpreting the pattern in which they fall was a common method of divination. This is called “favomancy,” which makes the Tuscans smile since “fava” is also slang for a certain part of the male anatomy…  

Toss the fresh beans and peas with some onion in olive oil...

... and serve with shaved fresh pecorino cheese and pasta of your choice.
Buon Appetito!               

Fava Beans are also GOOD for you, high in protein, low in fat, and high in vitamins and minerals:
Nutritional Value per 100 g /3.5 oz (about a handful)
Energy     1,425 kJ (341 kcal)
Carbohydrates     58.29 g
Dietary fiber     25 g
Fat     1.53 g
Protein     26.12 g
Thiamine (vit. B1)     0.555 mg (48%)
Riboflavin (vit. B2)     0.333 mg (28%)
Niacin (vit. B3)     2.832 mg (19%)
Vitamin B6         0.366 mg (28%)
Folate (vit. B9)         423 ?g (106%)
Iron             6.7 mg (52%)
Magnesium         192 mg (54%)
Manganese         1.626 mg (77%)
Phosphorus         421 mg (60%)
Potassium         1062 mg (23%)
Zinc             3.14 mg (33%)