Favas a Sao Miguel / Fava Beans Sao Miguel Style

By amaliana

This dish is served as a petisco(snack) with homemade wine. There are many versions of Portuguese fava beans, but this one is a spicy rendition(add more piri-piri sauce if desired for an even hotter sauce).
Make this a few hours in advance to give the beans time to take on the flavor of the sauce. It can also be prepared in smaller proportions and served as a side dish. For a party, puree in a food processor with 1/4 cup olive oil and serve as a dip with vegetables and wedges of flat cornbread or corn chips.

Ingredients

• 2 cups dried fava beans or broad beans
• 6 cups water
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2/3 cup peeled, seeded and chopped tomatoes
• 1/4 cup tomato paste
• 1/4 cup pimento paste
• 2 tbsp. red or white wine vinegar
• 1 tsp piri-piri or Tabasco sauce
• 1/4 tsp ground cumin
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 cups vinho verde
• Salt and coarsely ground black pepper to taste
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley

Details

Servings 8

Preparation

Step 1

Rinse fava beans, discarding any shriveled or off-colored ones. In bowl, cover the beans with cold water and soak overnight. (Alternatively, in large saucepan, cover beans with water and boil for 2 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand, covered, for 1 hour.)
Place beans in strainer and rinse. Transfer to large pot and cover with water. Bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low; cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 1 hour, or until beans are just tender. Drain and refresh under cold water; drain again.
In large heavy saucepan or Dutch oven, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Cook onion for 3 to 5 minutes, or until softened.
Add garlic to saucepan. Cook for 1 minute. Stir in tomatoes, tomato paste, pimento paste, vinegar, piri-piri sauce, cumin and bay leaves. Simmer, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes, or until sauce is thickened. Add beans and coat well with sauce. Pour in wine, cover and cook over low heat for 45 to 60 minutes, or until beans are very tender. (If beans dry up, add 1/2 cup water.) Remove from heat;remove and discard bay leaves; taste and adjust seasonings with salt, pepper and cumin. Let stand, covered, for 1 hour at room temperature. The beans will soak up sauce over time; it is best to have a moister sauce. (Recipe can be prepared ahead to this point, covered and refrigerated for several hours or overnight.)
Spoon beans and sauce in serving dish; sprinkle on parsley just before serving. Serve hot or cold.