- 4
- 30 mins
- 300 mins
Ingredients
- 1 cup dried fava beans
- Salt to taste
Preparation
Step 1
Pick over beans and rinse in cool water. Put in a large bowl, cover with water by 2 inches, and soak 4 hours to overnight.
Drain and rinse well.
2. For best flavor, remove the bitter outer skin before cooking. To do so: bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the pre-soaked beans, and boil for about 10 minutes. Drain. Once cool enough to handle, squeeze each fava so it pops out of its skin (or use a paring knife to peel off the skin).
3. Transfer beans to soup pot or large saucepan, add enough water to cover by 2 inches. Bring to a boil over medium heat, then reduce heat and simmer gently, uncovered or loosely covered, until tender, about 1 hour (longer if you're making a puree, less time if using them in a salad). Add salt only toward the end of cooking, and add more water during simmering if beans start to dry up before they are tender. If you’re planning to puree the beans, leave them in the cooking liquid; otherwise strain and, if desired, reserve the cooking liquid for making soup.