Fava beans and chicory

Food editor at large Marjan returned from the southern Italian region of Puglia with a new love: fave e cicoria. White bean purée with pleasantly bitter wild chicory (a type of wild endive). In other words, southern Italian hummus.

I was served fave e cicoria in a different way each time. With a harissa-like red sauce, with fried breadcrumbs or with charred peppers. In this recipe from Casa Sabatelli, the Amsterdam restaurant run by chefs from Puglia, it is served with croutons.

Preparation

Wash the beans thoroughly and place them in a pan with the potatoes, onion and celery, covered with water. Let them cook without a lid. Foam will form from time to time. Add more water as soon as the first water has almost evaporated. Repeat this once more if necessary. Add salt at the end and stir the bean mixture vigorously until it becomes a purée.

Meanwhile, wash the endive thoroughly and cook it in salted water. But do not overcook the leaves. Drain the endive.
Place a spoonful of bean purée and a spoonful of endive on a plate and drizzle everything with extra virgin olive oil. Serve with croutons.

Recipe: Casa Sabatelli, Amsterdam