Favetta & Prosciutto Crostinis

I'm in love with fava beans! They're one of my favorite ingredients, usually only available seasonally. Sure popping them out of their shells, blanching them, then peeling them again seems like a lot of work, but it's worth it for the chance to feast on these beauties. A little known fact is that fava beans aren't really even beans at all - they actually belong to the pea family, which makes sense given their pods. Extremely high in fiber (85% of the RDV) and iron (30% of the RDV), they're also very low in sodium and contain no cholesterol or fat. Fava beans are much more commonly found in Mediterranean cuisine than stateside, but if it were up to me, that would change!

After procuring some organic fava beans via my organic vegetable delivery service, I set about making a dish I've wanted to try for some time called favetta, a fava bean paste constructed almost like a pesto. After meditating on my ingredients for awhile, I settled on my own version of the recipe I wanted to try. Key to the dish is fresh lemon juice - the acid really makes this recipe sing. I also threw in some lovely rocket arugula, an extra health kick, walnuts and lots of fresh garlic. The result was a spread so rich and delicious, it was mind-boggling that it didn't contain any cheese. I served my favetta over toasted french bread, piled high with La Quercia prosciutto.


I loved it so much, I even made a prosciutto and faveta sandwich the next day, piling it onto toasted organic spelt bread. This is without question my favorite thing I've made in weeks. The only sad part is that once favas go out of season, I'll have to wait a year to eat it again! Although I'm considering trying the same recipe with edamame if I can't wait.


Domestic Diva's Favetta & Prosciutto Crostinis

1 cup fava beans, blanched & peeled
1 tbsp lemon juice
1/2 cup arugula or parsley
1/4 cup good olive oil
2 tbsp walnuts
2 garlic cloves, peeled
salt & pepper
French baguette, sliced and toasted
prosciutto

Directions:

Toss all of the favetta ingredients (fava beans, lemon juice, olive oil, walnuts, arugula, garlic) into a food processor. Blend until creamy. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

To make the crostinis, pile some prosciutto on the bread then top with a generous serving of favetta. Enjoy!