Peppered Capellini With Fava Beans Peas And Pecorino Food

CACIO E PEPE WITH PEAS AND FAVAS

Steps:

• Bring a medium saucepot of salted water to a boil. Fill a medium bowl with water and ice and set a fine mesh strainer in the bowl. (Be sure to keep ice out of strainer.) Blanch peas for 30 seconds and use a slotted spoon to transfer peas to strainer in ice bath. Let sit for 5 minutes and pull up strainer to drain peas. Repeat process with fava beans, cooking for 1 minute. (You can use same pot of boiling water that you used for peas.) When fava beans have been blanched and cooled, slip off peels.
• Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook until 1 minute shy of al dente. Drain, reserving 1/2 cup cooking water.
• In a large skillet, melt 1 tablespoon butter. Add pepper and sauté for 1 minute, or until fragrant. Add 1/4 cup of the cooking water and the remaining butter to pan. Stir until butter is melted and sauce begins to thicken, about 30 seconds.
• Add cooked pasta, pecorino and Parmesan and toss until cheese melts, about 30 seconds. Add peas and fava beans. Toss very well to coat, adding more pasta water if pan seems dry. Season with salt to taste. To serve, sprinkle each portion with more pecorino and drizzle with olive oil. Garnish with chives.

PEPPERED CAPELLINI WITH FAVA BEANS, PEAS AND PECORINO

Steps:

• In a medium sauce pan, fill about 1/3 full with water. Put on stove to boil. Have ready a large bowl and mesh strainer.
• Shuck all the fava beans out of the pods and place the beans in a bowl. Set aside. Measure out your peas. Set aside. Make an ice bath in the large bowl. Be sure the mesh strainer can fit in the large bowl and the ice water flows into the strainer.
• Place the peas in the boiling water. Blanch for 30 seconds. Remove with a hand held strainer and place in the mesh strainer that is in the water bath. Let set for 1 minute, then remove the peas from the bath, using the strainer and place into a bowl. Set aside. Do the same thing with the fava beans, but let the fava beans blanch for 3 minutues (use the same water you blanched the peas in). Remove the favas with a hand held strainer and place in the mesh strainer that is in the water bath. Let set for 1 minute, then remove the favas from the bath using the strainer and place into a bowl. Set aside. Once cooled, peel the seed coat away from the fava beans. Discard the peels.
• In a medium sauce pan, fill water 2/3 full. Bring to a boil. Cook the capellini for about 4 minutes, or until al dente'. Reserve 1 cup of the pasta water. Drain pasta, drizzle 1 Tbs of olive oil on pasta to keep it from sticking.
• Meanwhile, melt 1Tbs butter in a large saute' pan over medium heat. Once melted, add the pepper and garlic. Saute' for about 1 minute, or until fragrant. Add 1/4 C of the reserved pasta water. It will fizzle and bubble here so be careful. Stir to combine the pasta water, butter, pepper and garlic. Add the remaining 1 Tbs of butter and incorporate. Add the pasta, stir to coat with the sauce. Add both cheeses and stir until melted. Season with salt and add the lemon zest. Toss again. Add the peas and peeled fava beans, tossing and turning the ingredients gently to evenly distribute. Add another 1/4 cup to 3/4 C of the pasta water if the pasta seems dry. Toss well.
• Transfer to a large serving bowl and garnish with chopped parsley, pecorino and fresh ground pepper.

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.

CRUNCHY FAVA-BEAN SALAD WITH FRISEE, PEPPERS AND PECORINO

Steps:

• Bring a medium pot of lightly salted water to a boil and add the beans. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes, until tender but not mushy. Refresh the beans in ice water. Drain and peel the beans. You will have about 2 cups.
• Heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a medium skillet. Over high heat, cook the celery and leeks for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring occasionally; the vegetables should retain some crispness. Add the yellow pepper and cook 1 to 2 minutes more. Add the fava beans, 1/2 teaspoon salt and black pepper to taste. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool.
• To make the vinaigrette, place the lemon juice, lemon zest, remaining salt, fresh black pepper, garlic and remaining olive oil in a jar. Close the lid tightly and shake vigorously to combine.
• To assemble the salad, pour the vinaigrette into a large bowl. Add the cooked vegetables, frisee and pecorino and toss lightly to coat evenly. Adjust the seasoning if necessary and serve immediately.

FAVA BEAN AND PEA SALAD WITH PECORINO PEA DRESSING

Steps:

• Thaw a bag of frozen peas in a colander. Cook or rinse 8 oz of Fava beans ( Trader Joes currently carries steamed Fava beans in the deli section) Combine the peas and Beans and toss with the zest of 1 lemon and a splash of olive oil. Set aside and prepare the salad dressing. Combine the raw peas and the garlic clove in a blender or hand blender and mix until smooth. Add the cheese and most of the mint and stir or pulse to make a smooth paste. Add the olive oil and 4 to 5 tablespoons of lemon juice, to your preference. Season to taste. Mix the dressing with the peas and fava beans. Wash/dry the arrugula. Prepare a lemon vinagrette and minimally dress and toss it with the greens. Plate the arrugula and top with the pea/bean salad. . Tear a little mint over the top with a little shaved Parmesan if you like.