Fava Bean and Pumpkin: Creamy Autumn Recipe with Olives and Wild Fennel

Fave e Zucca (Févè e Chècozz) is a dish that embodies the essence of autumnal peasant cuisine, where humble ingredients are transformed into a dish rich in flavour and substance. This preparation celebrates the meeting of dried legumes, guardians of winter protein, and the sweetness of pumpkin, the undisputed queen of Mediterranean autumn.

Our interpretation uses dried skinned fava beans, which make the dish more delicate and creamy, with reduced cooking times compared to the version with the skin. This choice allows for a velvety consistency that pairs perfectly with the large pumpkin pieces, creating a contrast of textures that makes every spoonful interesting.

The heart of this dish lies in the layering of flavours: fava beans slow-cooked with garlic and bay leaf develop a rich and enveloping taste, while pumpkin stewed with red onion releases its natural sweetness. Pitted Leccino olives add savoury notes, cherry tomatoes provide a hint of fresh acidity, and wild fennel completes the picture with its unmistakable aroma.

Our "Nostrano" extra virgin olive oil is the element that binds all these flavours, enhancing the creaminess of the fava beans and the sweetness of the pumpkin without overpowering their natural tastes. A generous drizzle of raw oil when serving adds freshness and fragrance, transforming the dish into a complete experience.

Served with slices of toasted bread that soak up the creamy dressing, this dish is perfect as a substantial first course or as a main course for autumn evenings when comfort and warmth are sought. A preparation that requires patience but rewards with deep and genuine flavours.

Preparation time: 15 minutes (+ 12 hours soaking)
Cooking time: 1 hour 30 minutes
Difficulty: Easy
Servings: 2 people

INGREDIENTS

200 g dried skinned fava beans
1 clove garlic
1 bay leaf
1 red onion
350 g cleaned pumpkin
50 g pitted Leccino olives
100 g cherry tomatoes
1 bunch wild fennel
slices of toasted stale bread
salt
"Nostrano" extra virgin olive oil

PREPARATION:

The night before, soak the fava beans in plenty of water.

The next day, rinse the fava beans, cover them again with water, and boil them with garlic and bay leaf for about an hour from boiling. Salt only at the end of cooking.

Separately, sauté the sliced onion with a few tablespoons of oil, add the pumpkin cut into large pieces, add a few tablespoons of water and let it stew, covered, for 15 minutes. Almost at the end of cooking, add the olives, the cherry tomatoes cut into quarters, and the wild fennel.

Finally, drain the cooked fava beans and add them to the pumpkin; let it flavour for another 15 minutes. Adjust salt to taste.

Serve the dish with a final drizzle of raw oil and a few slices of toasted bread.