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1
Shell the fava beans. Leave small, bright-green beans intact. For larger, more mature beans, blanch briefly and slip off the inner grey skin — the bean beneath should be vivid green. Reserve a small handful of empty pods to add to the cooking liquid.
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2
Place the guanciale lardons in a cold heavy pot and set over a low flame. Render slowly, turning occasionally, until the fat runs clear and the lardons begin to colour at the edges. The fat must be fully liquid before the soffritto begins.
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3
Add the chopped onion and spring onion to the rendered fat. Cook over a low-to-medium flame, stirring, until completely soft and translucent — no colour. Add the parsley and stir for one further minute until fragrant.
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4
Add the shelled fava beans directly to the soffritto. Stir to coat every bean in the fat and cook without liquid for 2–3 minutes. This step is where the dish lives or dies: the brief dry cooking in rendered guanciale fat fixes the beans' flavour before any dilution; beans that go straight into liquid never develop the same depth.
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5
Pour in just enough water or light stock to barely cover the beans. Add the reserved empty pods. Bring to a gentle simmer — never a rolling boil. Cook uncovered for 15–20 minutes. The beans should yield to light pressure but hold their shape; the broth should remain green-tinged and clear. Remove and discard the pods.
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6
Remove the pot from the heat. Taste the broth before adding any salt — guanciale and pecorino carry significant salinity. Adjust only if needed. Ladle into deep bowls so the beans are clearly visible in the broth. Drizzle the raw olive oil over each portion and finish with grated aged pecorino. Serve immediately.