Fava Bean Crostini
/Summary: A local restaurant, 2 Amy's, makes the most unreal appetizer when fava beans are in season: a fava bean puree atop grilled bread, topped with a shave of Parmesan and a generous drizzle of olive oil. Each bite is out of this world. Obviously, I had to figure out how to make this. Here you go. You'll eat more than you think you can!
Yield: 4-8 servings, depending on portion size
Ingredients:
- 1 baguette, sliced crosswise, slices brushed with olive oil
- 1 pound shelled and skinned fava beans (this is about 1 pound 5 ounces shelled favas, so probably nearly 2 pounds whole favas)
- ⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 3 ounces grated pecorino, plus more for shaving on top the crostini
- ½ teaspoon salt, plus more for sprinkling
- 10 mint leaves
- juice of ½ lemon
- freshly ground pepper
Instructions:
Preheat oven to 450° Fahrenheit. Place the baguette slices, brushed with olive oil, on a baking sheet, and set aside.
To prepare the fresh favas: shell the beans. Heat a medium pot of water to boiling; blanch shelled favas in the boiling water for 2-3 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and transfer to an ice bath (bowl of water + ice) to cool rapidly. When cool, use your fingernail or a paring knife to slice open the skin and slip the inner beans out. After doing this, you should have roughly a pound left.
In a food processor, put the shelled, blanched, cooled and skinned fava beans, the extra virgin olive oil, pecorino, salt, mint leaves, lemon juice and several rounds of freshly ground pepper. Puree until chunky but smooth.
If you haven't already, put the baking sheet of baguette slices into the oven and cook until golden brown.
Remove and dab 1-2 tablespoons of fava bean puree on each slice. Sprinkle with salt if you want, drizzle with a little extra virgin olive oil and shave a bit of pecorino on top. Serve!
