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Close up of fava bean crostini topped with pecorino cheese.

Fava Bean Crostini with Pecorino + Mint

This Fava Bean Crostini with Pecorino + Mint is an easy and elegant spring appetizer or snack! Fresh Fava beans are usually only in season for a short time during late spring, and they can be a bit fussy to work with, but the labor of love is absolutely worth it. Creamy, lemony fava bean puree tops crispy toasted bread and finished with sharp, salty Pecorino cheese, and fresh mint. It's simple, seasonal and soo delicious.
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Course: Appetizer
Cuisine: Italian
Keyword: beans, cheese, crostini, easy, fava beans, mint, pecorino
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
Servings: 7 servings
Calories: 640kcal

Ingredients

  • 2 pounds fresh fava beans shelled (about 2 cups)
  • ¾ teaspoon salt plus more for water
  • ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
  • juice of 1 lemon or more to taste
  • 1 loaf crusty French or Italian bread thinly sliced on a bias
  • pecorino Romano cheese for shaving
  • fresh mint leaves torn (about 1 loosely packed cup)

Instructions

  • Bring a large pot of water up to a boil, and add a generous amount of salt. Drop the shelled fava beans into the water and cook for about 5 minutes, or until tender. Transfer to a bowl of ice water, and once cool, carefully slip the beans out of their skins and place them in the bowl of a food processor and discard the skins.
  • Add the salt, olive oil and lemon juice to the food processor and pulse until you achieve a slightly coarse puree. You can opt to leave it more chunky, or keep pureeing until very smooth. Taste and adjust the seasoning adding more salt or lemon juice as needed.
  • Preheat the oven or toaster oven to 350 degrees. Place the slices of bread on a baking sheet and bake for about 10 minutes or until lightly toasted. Spread each piece of toast with a generous amount of fava bean puree, then use a vegetable peeler to shave thin slices of pecorino over the top. Sprinkle with lots of fresh mint, and serve immediately.

Video

Notes

  • Leftover fava bean puree will keep in the fridge for up to 5 days.

Nutrition

Calories: 640kcal | Carbohydrates: 59g | Protein: 15g | Fat: 39g | Saturated Fat: 15g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 6g | Monounsaturated Fat: 17g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Sodium: 496mg | Potassium: 488mg | Fiber: 9g | Sugar: 22g | Vitamin A: 19IU | Vitamin C: 0.4mg | Calcium: 47mg | Iron: 3mg