Macco di Fave

Name: Macco di Fave
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 1 h
Total time: 1 h 15 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Siciliana
Ingredients: 400 g fave secche decorticate (dried split broad beans); 50 g finocchietto selvatico (wild fennel fronds); 1 piece Yellow onion; 1 piece celery stalk; 60 ml Extra virgin olive oil; 1.2 l Water; 1.5 tsp Fine sea salt; 0.5 tsp Black pepper

A velvety Sicilian dried broad bean purée flavoured with aromatic wild fennel and finished generously with robust extra virgin olive oil.

🇮🇹Italy· Sicily

Prep: 15 min
Cook: 60 min
Total: 75 min
Servings: 4
Difficulty: Easy
Calories: 410 kcal

Ingredients

0 of 8 gathered

Servings

400 g fave secche decorticate (dried split broad beans) — rinsed
50 g finocchietto selvatico (wild fennel fronds) — tender fronds, finely chopped
1 piece Yellow onion — small, finely chopped
1 piece celery stalk — finely chopped
60 ml Extra virgin olive oil — plus extra for drizzling
1¼ l Water — or enough to cover beans by two fingers
1½ tsp Fine sea salt — to taste
½ tsp Black pepper — freshly cracked

Equipment

•Heavy-bottomed saucepan or terracotta pot
•Wooden spoon
•Chef's knife
•Chopping board
•Wire whisk

Nutrition

Per serving, approximate

Calories: 410 kcal
fat: 13 g
carbs: 52 g
fibre: 19 g
protein: 26 g
calories: 410 kcal

Instructions

1
Rinse the dried split broad beans thoroughly under cold running water until the water runs clear.
2
Heat two tablespoons of olive oil in a heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat.
3
Add the chopped onion and celery, cooking gently for five minutes until soft and translucent.
4
Add the rinsed broad beans and pour in 1.2 litres of cold water.
5
Bring the pot to a gentle boil, skimming off any white foam that rises to the surface.
6
Wash and finely chop the wild fennel, then stir it into the pot along with a pinch of salt.
7
Reduce heat to low, cover partially, and simmer for about one hour until the beans break down completely.
8
Whisk vigorously with a wooden spoon or wire whisk until the beans collapse into a thick, velvety purée.
9
Season with salt and black pepper to taste, then remove the pot from the heat.
10
Ladle into warm bowls and finish generously with raw extra virgin olive oil.

Chef's tips

Use split peeled broad beans (decorticate) to ensure they break down without needing a food processor. If wild fennel is unavailable, tender cultivated fennel fronds mixed with a pinch of crushed fennel seeds provide a close flavour profile. Stir frequently towards the end of cooking to prevent the thick purée from catching on the bottom.

Ingredient substitutions

finocchietto selvatico (wild fennel) → fronds of cultivated bulb fennel with a pinch of toasted crushed fennel seeds
celery → one small wild carrot or omit entirely

Storage

Store chilled in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days.

Reheating

Reheat gently in a small saucepan with a splash of water, stirring continuously over low heat.

Common mistakes to avoid

•Using unpeeled dried broad beans, which will not break down smoothly and leave tough skins.
•Letting the purée boil rapidly without stirring, causing the bottom layer to scorch.
•Adding too much water at once, which makes the dish watery rather than a dense purée.

Serving suggestions

Serve hot in rustic bowls with toasted slices of crusty durum wheat bread.Allow leftovers to set firm in a tray, slice into rectangles, and fry in hot olive oil.Toss warm with broken ditalini pasta for macco con la pasta.