La Fracchiata
This is a substantial soup classically made from fresh fava beans and a dried sort of bean/pea hybrid called la cicerchia, whose taste and texture are very like that of the fava when it is dried. This version, asking only for the dried favas since la cicerchia is not readily found in America, yields a rich, smoky flavor that is wonderful against the comfort of the warm crunch of the bread.
Recipe information
Yield
serves 4
Ingredients
Preparation
Step 1
Place the dried favas in a large soup pot, cover them with cold water, add 1 tablespoon of sea salt and bring the beans to a simmer. Cover the pot and let the beans rest for 1 hour.
Step 2
Drain the beans, covering them with fresh, cold water and adding another tablespoon of sea salt. Bring the beans to a simmer again, cooking them over a gentle flame for 1 hour or until very tender. Drain the beans, reserving 2 cups or so of their cooking water, and set them aside.
Step 3
In a medium sauté pan over a medium flame, warm 1/4 cup of the olive oil and soften the garlic for a minute or two, taking care not to let it color. Add the chile and the pancetta, sautéing over a gentle flame until the pancetta has given up its fat and the oil is perfumed.
Step 4
In the work bowl of a food processor, pulse the favas, adding some of their cooking liquors to obtain a pourable but not too liquid puree. Add the aromatic oil and the pancetta and process for another minute to blend the components. Turn the puree out into a medium saucepan and set aside.
Step 5
Heat the remaining olive oil in a sauté pan and sauté the cubes of bread, turning them about in the oil until they are browned and crisped.
Step 6
Reheat the puree for a minute or two, adding its cooking liquors if the soup seems too thick. Ladle the soup into shallow, warmed bowls, strewing each with the bread.
