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Fave e Cicoria

Peeled broad-bean purée with bitter chicory

Puglian fave e cicoria pairs a plain purée of dried peeled broad beans with boiled, garlic-sautéed bitter chicory and olive oil.

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Prep15 minsCook90 minsServes4DifficultyMedium

Plus 8 hrs for soaking broad beans; included in the total time below.

Editorial recipe cover for Fave e Cicoria, from Puglia

Puglia

The regional version.

Puglia’s peeled broad-bean purée with separately cooked chicory, without potato or dairy in the purée.

  • Dried peeled broad beans form the purée.
  • Bitter chicory is prepared separately and served alongside.
  • Olive oil finishes the pairing; it is not a pasta sauce or chickpea hummus.

Technique: peeled broad-bean purée with bitter chicory

Avoid adding acidic ingredients before the beans soften. Drain chicory well so it does not water down the purée. Its bitterness is part of the dish’s balance.

The recipe

Fave e Cicoria

15 min prep90 min cook9 hrs 45 min total4 servings

Includes 8 hrs for soaking broad beans.

Scale:

Ingredients

Main

Method

  1. 1

    Soak broad beans for 8 hours or according to the packet, then rinse and cover with one litre fresh water.

  2. 2

    Bring to a boil, skim foam and simmer gently for 60–90 minutes until beans collapse, adding hot water as necessary.

  3. 3

    Beat the beans into a thick purée and season near the end; stir often as the mixture thickens.

  4. 4

    Boil chicory separately in salted water until tender, about 10–15 minutes. Drain thoroughly.

  5. 5

    Warm garlic and chilli in half the oil, add chicory and turn it through for 3–4 minutes.

  6. 6

    Spoon beans beside the greens and finish with remaining raw olive oil. Keep the two textures distinct on the plate.

The version on this page

Puglia’s peeled broad-bean purée with separately cooked chicory, without potato or dairy in the purée.

  • Dried peeled broad beans form the purée.
  • Bitter chicory is prepared separately and served alongside.
  • Olive oil finishes the pairing; it is not a pasta sauce or chickpea hummus.

Cooking it well

Avoid adding acidic ingredients before the beans soften. Drain chicory well so it does not water down the purée. Its bitterness is part of the dish’s balance.

Serving and planning

Serve with toasted country bread. The simple bean base deliberately differs from Sicily’s wild-fennel maccu.

Allow 480 additional minutes for soaking broad beans. This is included in the total recipe time, alongside active preparation and cooking.

Explore the Italian regional cooking guide for related dishes and pantry notes.

Storage

Refrigerate cooked leftovers promptly in a covered container and use within 3 days.

Freezing

Freeze cooked portions for up to 2 months; thaw overnight in the refrigerator. Fresh pasta, vegetables and cheese can soften after thawing.

Reheating

Reheat only the portion required until piping hot throughout. Add a little water if the sauce has thickened.

Keep cooking

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