Creamy fava beans, mint, lemon and olive oil spooned over charred sourdough for a bright spring starter.
# What You Need:
→ Vegetables & Herbs
01 - 10.6 ounces (about 1 3/4 cups) fresh or frozen shelled fava beans
02 - 1 small clove garlic, minced
03 - 2 tablespoons fresh mint leaves, finely chopped
04 - Zest of 1/2 lemon
05 - 1 tablespoon fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped (optional)
→ Dairy
06 - 1/4 cup ricotta or goat cheese (optional; about 2 ounces)
→ Bread
07 - 4 thick slices sourdough bread
→ Pantry
08 - 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
09 - 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
10 - 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
11 - 1 teaspoon lemon juice
# How-To:
01 - Bring a medium pot of salted water to a boil. Add the fava beans and cook 2–3 minutes if fresh or 4–5 minutes if frozen. Drain and transfer immediately to an ice bath to stop cooking. Once cool, slip off and discard the tough outer skins.
02 - Place the peeled fava beans in a bowl and mash coarsely with a fork. Fold in the minced garlic, chopped mint, lemon zest, parsley (if using), 2 tablespoons of olive oil, lemon juice, sea salt and black pepper. Taste and adjust seasoning.
03 - Brush both sides of the sourdough slices lightly with the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil. Grill on a preheated grill pan or barbecue over high heat 2–3 minutes per side, until golden and slightly charred.
04 - If using cheese, spread a thin layer of ricotta or goat cheese on each grilled slice. Spoon the fava and mint mixture over the bread, garnish with extra mint if desired, and serve immediately.
