fava bean pesto.

A lovely client was telling me about the huge fava bean crop and asked me if I would like some.  Since I've never cooked with them before, I was up for the challenge.  However, later at dinner that night, she said she left me a little something by my chair and winked.  I found a gigantic bag of fava beans!  Knowing I couldn't possibly shell all of them, I searched online to find you can roast them with similar results. The results weren't exactly similar because the outer layer was still pretty tough, but they are okay to puree to turn the beans into pesto.  

The pesto is perfect and mellow - great for crostini for an afternoon on the patio with white wine or swirled into hot pasta, garnished with lemon zest and fresh herbs (my parsley has become mutant)....

fava bean pesto.

fava beans, roasted whole with a spritz of olive oil at 400 degrees for 30 minutes, shelled

olive oil (extra virgin)

salt and pepper to taste

juice and zest of one lemon

1/4 cup pine nuts

pinch of red pepper flakes (why not?)

 

In a food processor, pulse fava beans until crushed.  Add olive oil, lemon juice and zest and pulse again.  Add pine nuts, salt, pepper and red pepper flakes (if using the latter) and pulse until smooth.  Store in an airtight container until ready to use.  

 

For the crostini: Lightly grill mini toasts (rubbed with a garlic clove and spritzed with olive oil) one each side.  Spread with pesto and add slices of cherry tomato on top.