Fava Bean and Roasted Tomato Crostini | Friday Night Bites

I am doing the happy dance right now.  No really – I am simply SO happy.  It is fava bean season.  It comes but once a year and puts a smile from ear to ear on my face.  If you have not had the innate pleasure of a fava bean, please run don’t walk to your nearest farmer’s market or expansive grocery store and pick up a few handfuls.

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They are simple yet a bit time consuming to prepare BUT completely worth it.  Trust me.  It is a two layer process to prepare.  First you need to remove the string along the long side of the pod by pulling.  That will loosen the side to pull apart and reveal the fava beans inside.  Hang on, you are not done yet.  There is a layer around the fava bean that needs to be taken off.  The best way to remove is to submerge the beans in a pot of boiling water for 1 to 2 minutes then drain and let cool.  Once cool enough to the touch; take your finger nail or a knife and create a small slit in the covering and the fava bean should pop right out.  Presto!

These Fava Bean and Roasted Tomato Crostini were the result of driving to one of my offices earlier in the week and creating a Crostini in my head.  I knew I had a good quantity of fava beans in the refrigerator and needed to make something with them.  These are pretty, tasty and a crowd pleaser.  They are perfect with a glass of Cabernet Sauvignon or Zinfandel.  Happy Friday Night Bites!

Fava Bean and Roasted Tomato Crostini

Makes 12

1 Cup Shelled Fava Beans

1 to 2 teaspoons of fresh thyme leaves

3 Tablespoons grated parmesan cheese

4 Tablespoons olive oil

Salt and pepper to taste

24 Cherry tomatoes

Olive oil

Salt

12 Slices of Sour Dough Baguette

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

On a cookie sheet, place the cherry tomatoes and coat tomatoes with olive oil and sprinkle with salt. Roast for about 25 minutes.  Remove and let cool.

Brush each of the sliced sour dough baguette with olive oil on each side.  Place on a cookie sheet and bake in the 350 degree oven for 10 to 15 minutes or until golden brown.  Turn once about halfway through the cooking.  Remove and let cool.

Prepare fava beans (see below for how to prepare) and gently mash in a bowl until broken up into small pieces.  Add the parmesan cheese, olive oil, thyme and salt and pepper.  Stir well.

To prepare:

Cover each Crostini with the fava bean mixture and top with two of the roasted tomatoes.  Garnish with a sprig of thyme and a sprinkle of parmesan cheese.

*Fava Bean Preparation:

To shuck the beans, simply break off one end of the pod and use your thumb to pry it open. Pop the beans into a bowl and make a pile of pods. The easiest way to peel the beans is to parboil them first. To do so, bring a large stockpot filled with water to a rolling boil. Add the beans and let them cook until they turn bright green. About one minute. Then remove the pan from the stove and drain the beans into a colander. Run the beans under cold water for a minute or so to stop them from cooking any further.

Next, you need to remove the skin surrounding each bean. Use a knife or your fingernail to make a slit in the seam at one end of the bean and then squeeze the bean out. It should pop right out of the skin. Once you've peeled the beans, they are ready to use in any recipe.