Fava Bean Crostini With Pecorino And Lemon Oil Food

FAVA BEAN CROSTINI WITH PECORINO + MINT

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of water up to a boil, and add a generous amount of salt. Drop the shelled fava beans into the water and cook for about 5 minutes, or until tender. Transfer to a bowl of ice water, and once cool, carefully slip the beans out of their skins and place them in the bowl of a food processor and discard the skins.
• Add the salt, olive oil and lemon juice to the food processor and pulse until you achieve a slightly coarse puree. You can opt to leave it more chunky, or keep pureeing until very smooth. Taste and adjust the seasoning adding more salt or lemon juice as needed.
• Preheat the oven or toaster oven to 350 degrees. Place the slices of bread on a baking sheet and bake for about 10 minutes or until lightly toasted. Spread each piece of toast with a generous amount of fava bean puree, then use a vegetable peeler to shave thin slices of pecorino over the top. Sprinkle with lots of fresh mint, and serve immediately.

FAVA BEAN AND PECORINO CROSTINI

Steps:

• Arrange the baguette slices on a baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil, and toast under the broiler until just golden, checking every minute to make sure the bread doesn't burn. Set aside.
• Meanwhile, bring a pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Cook the fava beans for 3 minutes; transfer them immediately to a bowl filled with ice water to stop the cooking process.
• After they've cooled slightly, add the beans to the bowl of a food processor with the lemon zest and juice, olive oil, cider vinegar, and garlic. Turn the processor on and purée until the mixture is smooth. Add the pepper flakes and salt and pulse until fully combined.
• To assemble the crostini, spread the toasts generously with the fava bean mixture, then top with mint leaves and pecorino shavings. Serve immediately.

FAVA BEAN CROSTINI WITH PECORINO FRICO

Steps:

• Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.
• Bring a saucepan of water to a boil. Add the fava beans and blanch for 3 to 4 minutes. Drain and place in an ice bath. Peel the skins off the favas; the beans will split into 2 bright green pieces as you pop them out of their skins.
• In a food processor, combine the peeled favas, pecorino, garlic, parsley/mint mixture, lemon juice, salt and pepper, and EVOO. Pulse into a thick spread. Taste and adjust the seasonings. Season with a little flaky sea salt.
• For the frico: mix the 2 cups of pecorino with a tablespoon of flour. Divide the mixture into small piles on a silpat-lined sheet tray. Place in oven until golden and melted together, about 10 minutes. Remove with a spatula.
• Slice your bread into thin slices. Drizzle with good olive oil and sprinkle with flaky sea salt. Place in oven until crisp and golden. Serve the spread on the charred small toasts. Place a frico standing up on each crostini.

FRESH FAVA BEANS WITH PECORINO CHEESE

Steps:

• Shell the favas and discard pods. Drop beans into boiling salted water and cook for 1 to 2 minutes. Drain and immediately plunge into ice water. Drain again and remove tough outer skin from each bean. Place beans in a bowl.
• Serve with slices of good fresh cheese, a drizzle of olive oil, 1 to 2 drops of lemon juice, freshly ground pepper and a few grains of salt along with a slice of good crusty peasant bread.

ARUGULA AND FAVA-BEAN CROSTINI

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F with rack in middle.
• Cook fava beans in boiling water, uncovered, until tender, 3 to 4 minutes, then drain and transfer to an ice bath to stop cooking. Gently peel off skins (if using edamame, don't peel).
• Pulse fava beans in a food processor until very coarsely chopped, then transfer half of mixture to a large bowl. Add 1/4 cup oil, 1/2 cup arugula, cheese, lemon zest and juice, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/8 teaspoon pepper to favas in processor and purée until smooth. Add to bowl. Coarsely chop remaining cup arugula and gently fold into fava-bean mixture.
• Cut 16 diagonal slices (1/3 inch thick) from baguette and put in a 4-sided sheet pan. Drizzle with remaining tablespoon oil. Bake until pale golden and crisp, 8 to 10 minutes. Rub with cut side of garlic.
• Spoon fava-bean mixture onto baguette toasts, then drizzle with oil and top with mint.
• What to drink:
• Fontaleoni Vernaccia di San Gimignano '07