Suck it up: fava bean and pecorino salad

Ragazzi, first of all, Annalena wants to share something with you that stunned her.  She was checking to make sure that she had not posted this recipe before, lest she waste your time.  So, in looking up her fava bean recipes, she found that her post, on fava bean soup:  had been reviewed 210 TIMES!!!!  OMG, ragazzi, there are so many of you out there who love fava beans as Annalena does.  Notwithstanding what is probably the biggest issue, at least for Annalena, and probably for many of you, for fava beans:  the waste.

Fava beans come in big, thick pods, that you cannot use for anything else.  They go to c ompost.  No making stock, the way you can with green pea pods.  And then, after you get the beans out, they are coated with a membrane that is not edible (the only person who has ever seemed to make them in a way where the membrane is palatable, is the estimable Patti Jackson - Ms. Jackson if you're nasty).  She would say "what's hard? You do this and this and this..."  Well, Patti, not all of us have your talents.  FEW of us have your talents.

So, when you are ready to make this recipe,  Annalena is going to suggest you do the following:  after you have shelled your fava beans (on quantities, below), put them in a pot and cover it with water.  Then, bring the watear to the boil.  No need to start with boiling water here, and no need to salt.  And the reason for just coating them with water that way, is so that you do not waste any water.  (Incidentally, if you wish to follow this practice with all vegetables, including those which go into boiling water, proceed the same way.  Just cover the vegetables with water, drain the vegetables, and then proceed to bring the water to boil).

Ok, so when you have the beans in the water, bring them to a boil.  While the water is coming to a boil,  get a bowl with ice and water ready.  A big one.    And then let the water cook the favas, for two minutes, or at most three, if they are very large.  Then, drain the beans, and put them into the ice water.  Take them out, one at a time, and squirt them out of their skins.  They will not hold together, and that will be fine .  And it is not nearly as tedious as you think:  after you get into a rhythm, it's fun

Well, maybe not, but the rewards are great.  If you start with a pound of favas, ultimately, you will have a half to 2/3 cup of usable cooked favas when you're done.  Keep that in mind.  You will need a lot.  Sometimes, farmers will give you a break if you ask, but bring a big bag with you, and do not plan on buying less than three pounds.  (this dish, by the way, is much easier if you have a significant other who does not cook.  You can have him or her do it.  Also, you can stop, at any point along the way here.  After you have shucked the beans, you can refrigerate them for a couple of days and then peel them.  And after you peel them, you can refrigerate them again, for a couple of days.

When you are ready to complete the dish, get some FRESH pecorino cheese.  Now, ragazzi, most of you know cheeses like pecorino romano, or pecorino fulvi.  These are grating cheeses.  They are aged, and they are wonderful.  And they will not work in this recipe.  "Pecorino" just means little sheep.  NOT lamb, just a small sheep.   So, get thee to a good cheese monger, or to the farmers market, and ask for young pecorino.  Taste it.  ASK for a taste.  If the seller will nto give one, go elsewhere.  You want something that is mild, but full flavored.    Take a look at the average size of your favas, and cube the cheese, to small cubes about 1/3-1/2 the size of an average bean.  You will want anywhere from a total of 1/2-3/4 of the volume of beans, of cheese. So, if you have 2 cups of favas, you will want 1-1.5 cups of cubed cheese.    Put this all in a bowl, and stir together.

NOW, the fun.  Add some salt and pepper. Go easy at first.  Then add some of the best quality  extra virgin olive oil to it, and taste.  Get a spoon of both the cheese and beans.  This is YOUR salad, so adjust.  You may want, for example, to add some lemon juice.  Perche non?  You may want more black pepper.  Annalena almost always does. 

Restrain yourself.  Annalena has a very hard time not eating the whole bowl of this stuff, she loves it so much.

You can serve this as a little salad, or put it in lettuce leaves, or best of all, put it on some toasted crostini breads. And then enjoy.  And regret that you didn't make twice as much as you did.  That's ok.  You can make it again.  And now, get some extra beans and freeze them, and make it in the winter, when you are craving that taste of freshness.

Fava bean lovers, unite.  This one is for you.  And most of all for our newest, Julie S.  Welcome to the cult Ms. J.