Favata Sarda
Favata Sarda, known locally as sa favata, is a hearty winter stew of dried broad beans, mixed pork cuts, Savoy cabbage, and fragrant wild fennel.
- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 120 min
- Total
- 140 min
- Servings
- 6
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Calories
- 580 kcal
Equipment
- •Large heavy-based terracotta pot or Dutch oven
- •Skillet
- •Slotted spoon
- •Ladle
- •Chef's knife
Nutrition
Per serving, approximate
- Calories
- 580 kcal
- fat
- 26 g
- carbs
- 52 g
- fibre
- 14 g
- protein
- 34 g
- calories
- 580 kcal
Instructions
- 1
Place the soaked broad beans into a large heavy pot and cover with 2 litres of fresh cold water.
- 2
Bring the water to a gentle boil over medium heat, skimming off any white foam that surfaces.
- 3
Heat olive oil in a skillet and brown the pork ribs and sausage pieces until golden brown.
- 4
Transfer the browned meats into the bean pot along with the diced onion, carrot, celery, and sun-dried tomatoes.
- 5
Lower the heat to a gentle simmer and cook uncovered for 1 hour until the beans start softening.
- 6
Add the shredded Savoy cabbage and chopped wild fennel into the pot, stirring gently to submerge.
- 7
Simmer for another 45 minutes until the pork is tender and the broth turns rich and creamy.
- 8
Taste and season with sea salt and black pepper, taking care as the sun-dried tomatoes add saltiness.
- 9
Place a slice of toasted rustic bread into each deep bowl and ladle the hot stew over the top.
Chef's tips
Soak the broad beans for a full 12 hours to ensure even cooking. If wild fennel is unavailable, use fresh cultivated fennel fronds mixed with a pinch of crushed fennel seeds.
Ingredient substitutions
- wild fennel greens → fresh dill fronds combined with half a teaspoon of lightly bruised fennel seeds
- pane civraxu → thick slices of toasted rustic country sourdough
Storage
Cool completely and store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Reheating
Reheat gently in a saucepan over medium-low heat, adding a splash of water if the stew has thickened.
Common mistakes to avoid
- •Salting the broth too early, which toughens the skins of the broad beans.
- •Boiling too vigorously, which breaks the beans down into an unstructured mush before the meat is cooked.
Serving suggestions
Cooked Favata Sarda?
Sign in to save this recipe to a collection. Bookmarking works without an account — it stays on this device.
Sign in for collectionsSimilar recipes
Dishes with the same spirit, spice level and course.
More from Sardinia
Cooking that shares the same kitchen and pantry.
Recipes using similar ingredients
Use what you already bought for this recipe.
