Cousin Nina's Pureéd Favas with Bitter Greens

Photo by Michael Piazza / Styled by Catrine Kelty

This simple dish of puréed fava beans with braised bitter greens is a specialty of Puglia, where the Mediterranean diet shines. I first discovered it while staying with my cousin Nina near Bari. She is the keeper of our family’s culinary traditions, and this dish, naturally gluten-free, captures the essence of la cucina povera.

Serves 6 as a first course or a light lunch

FOR THE FAVAS:
2½ cups dried skinless, whole fava beans (see Note)
1 medium-sized Yukon Gold potato, peeled and quartered
1 carrot, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
1 celery stalk, cut into 1 inch pieces
2 small tomatoes, quartered
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
½ teaspoon salt

FOR THE GREENS:
2 bunches of bitter greens (escarole, dandelion, Swiss chard or broccoli raab)
4 whole, peeled garlic cloves
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

Place the dried fava beans in a medium-sized Dutch oven and completely cover with water. Soak overnight.

Drain the fava beans, place back in the Dutch oven and cover with fresh water. Add the potato, carrot, celery, tomatoes, olive oil and salt. Stir to combine.

Bring to a boil, then simmer, stirring occasionally, for up to 2 hours or until the fava beans begin to fall apart. If the mixture becomes dry, add water as needed. Skim any foam that rises to the top.

Remove the tough stalks of the greens and soak in cold water to remove any loose grit.

While the favas are cooking, fill a large pot with lightly salted water and bring to a boil. Immerse the greens in the boiling water and cook for 3–5 minutes. Drain and set aside.

In a separate sauté pan, heat olive oil and add garlic cloves. Simmer for a couple of minutes, careful to avoid burning the garlic. Add the reserved greens and continue simmering for 10 minutes, or until the greens are tender when pierced with a fork.

Once the fava bean mixture is cooked and has cooled slightly, use an immersion blender (or place in a stand-up blender) and purée until smooth.

Place the mixture in individual serving bowls and top with greens. Add more olive oil and salt if desired.

Note: Dried, skinless fava beans are available at Portugalia in New Bedford, the Armenian markets in Watertown, Cilicia in Natick Center. If using split fava beans, reduce the quantity to 2 cups. The most important thing is to be sure the favas are skinless, otherwise you will need to peel them once cooked.

This recipe appeared in the Summer 2026 issue as part of a larger story: Italy’s Naturally Gluten-Free Table.