We went to a truly spectacular dinner put on by Feastly and Farmhand’s Chef Erin featuring fresh produce from our farm. What a meal, everything was incredibly delicious. But for me the Mashed Fava Bean starter (or as Erin called them Million Hour Favas) was simply outstanding. I know, favas are a lot of work, but so worth the effort. Bring the family together and the work is done in minutes. Erin did a simple mash with an oregano pesto and good drizzling of olive oil. I really couldn’t stop eating, even cleaned the bowl and serving spoon! I don’t have the exact recipe but this is probably a close approximation.
Favas, shucked, simmered long enough to make it easy to remove the tough skin
1 small clove Garlic, finely minced
Lemon Zest and maybe some Lemon Juice
Olive Oil
Salt and Pepper to taste
You can top this with a basil pesto, she made a simple pesto using oregano which was really lovely.
Once the favas are prepared, put them into a pot and just cover with water. Simmer on low until they are tender. Drain the water, but hold on to it. In a bowl add the cooked favas, the minced garlic, salt and pepper, some tasty olive oil and mash with a potato masher. Adjust seasoning and top with just a little pesto. Serve on good bread that has been pan toasted with olive oil.