Cumpari is my brother-in-law's dad. Has an amazing garden overlooking an old monastery whose bell tower still tolls. He can produce anything in that patch of dirt and can cook it well too.
Fave are broad beans. Huge monster green beans that have a list of wive's tales attached to them. When to eat. When not to. Can you eat fresh. What months. Idk them all but who cares because they're good. Especially with mint. We don't use mint a lot in the states besides for drinks. In Sicily they love it. Big handfuls of it stuffed in the fish you're grilling, or chopped on salads or cooked in soups.
I saw fava beans at the store the other day and couldn't resist. Yes they cost $8 and when were shelled and peeled were only about a cup of them, but wow what flavor! Reminded me of Cumpari.
2 lbs fava beans in their shells...they look like green beans on steroids. 12"long and 1" wide!
1/2 large onion chopped
2 carrots diced
2 med potatoes diced large
Half a head of romaine, sliced
1/4 of mint leaves, chopped up
Salt and olive oil.
In a large saucepan or small soup pot saute the onion and carrot with a tbsp or so of olive oil. Clean the beans while you saute.
Pull off the string of the fava like string beans and remove the 'beans' inside. Discard any black beans but some may have a black line on the end and that's ok.
Then use a knife to slit the side and peel the beans husk off. Yes, you have to peel the beans. Yes its more work than opening a can. But worth it!!
When the onion is done clear and soft, add fava beans and saute 5 minutes. Then add the rest of the ingredients, and cover with water. Add 2 tsp salt, cover and simmer for about an hour.
That's it! Drizzle with olive oil and salt or pepper to taste. Serve even cool with toasted bread, or hot in winter. I served it as a side to some Italian chicken I invented for lunch. The Sicilian declared they were exquisite.
