Fava beans are a sure harbinger of spring in any corner of the country. If you're lucky enough to grow your own, be sure to harvest them before they get too big and starchy. There's no getting around the work involved in shelling the beans and then removing the skins, but the end result is worth the effort!
Chef Lissa Kane created this delicious pasta recipe for our first harvest of fava beans at the Farm Stand. It's based on the technique for making risotto but uses rice-shaped orzo pasta instead.
2 tablespoons chopped onion
1 tablespoon minced fresh garlic
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 cup unsalted butter, divided
1 pound orzo pasta (riso or pastina may be substituted)
1/4 cup white wine (a variety you'd like to drink)
7 cups warm chicken or vegetable stock
1 cup shelled fava beans, blanched and peeled
2 teaspoons kosher salt, or to taste
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1 tablespoon minced fresh thyme
1/4 cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano or Pecorino Romano cheese
1/4 cup Fava Bean Purée, or more to taste
Grated Parmigiano Reggiano or Pecorino Romano cheese, as garnish
In a heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat, sauté the onion and garlic in the olive oil and 1 tablespoon of butter until clear and soft.
Add the orzo and stir to completely coat the pasta grains, about 2 minutes. Deglaze the pan by adding the white wine.
Add 1 cup of warm stock and stir continually so the pasta doesn't stick to the bottom of the pan. When the liquid is absorbed, add another cup of stock and continue stirring. Repeat this process, adding stock 1 cup at a time until the orzo is cooked al dente (tender-firm, about 10 to 12 minutes).
Add the fava beans, salt, and pepper to taste. Stir, then remove from the heat and cover for 3 minutes.
Add the remainder of the butter, thyme, and the 1/4 cup cheese. Stir in 1/4 cup of the Fava Bean Purée, or more to taste, and serve the orzo with more cheese, if desired.
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