Puglia — Soups & Legumes Authority tier 1

Macco di Fave Pugliese con Cicoria

Puglia (Valle d'Itria and Salento)

Overview

Puglia's dried broad bean purée served with sautéed bitter chicory — one of the most ancient preparations of the Mezzogiorno, documented from Greek-colonial Puglia. Dried peeled broad beans are soaked and boiled slowly until they dissolve completely into a thick, earthy purée. The chicory (cicoria di campo) is blanched and sautéed in olive oil and garlic. The two are served separately on the plate — the white-yellow purée against the dark green chicory — to be mixed as the diner eats. The entire flavour depends on the olive oil poured over both: at minimum 4 tablespoons of the best Pugliese DOP.

Flavour Context

Earthy broad bean depth; olive oil richness; bitter chicory contrast; ancient simplicity; requires exceptional olive oil

Key Principles

{"Dried peeled broad beans (fave secche pelate) — not fresh, not tinned; the dried version dissolves to a purée; fresh beans don't","Soak overnight in cold water; boil in fresh water without salt until completely dissolved (45–60 min)","Season only when fully dissolved — salt during cooking toughens the bean skin and prevents full dissolution","Purée by vigorous stirring (not blending) — the traditional texture retains some grain; a blender makes it too smooth","Cicoria sautéed at high heat until any moisture evaporates — it must not be wet when placed alongside the macco"}

Pro Tips

{"Some Pugliese cooks add a few tablespoons of olive oil during the cooking process — this gives the purée a richer, more cohesive texture","Wild fennel tops added to the water while the beans cook gives a subtle anise flavour to the purée","Croutons of stale bread fried in olive oil scattered over the macco at service add the textural contrast the soft purée needs","The leftover macco thickens significantly overnight — reheat with olive oil and water to achieve original consistency"}

Common Mistakes

{"Using fresh or tinned broad beans — they don't dissolve; the dried peeled variety is specifically the type that forms a purée","Salting too early — prevents the skins from dissolving, leaving a lumpy texture","Blending to complete smoothness — the traditional purée has a coarser, grainier texture that is correct for the dish","Insufficient olive oil — this is the flavour of the dish; the bean purée alone is mild; the oil is the seasoning"}

Source

La Cucina Pugliese — Nico Stranieri

Cross-Cuisine Parallels

{'cuisine': 'Egyptian', 'technique': 'Ful medames — slow-cooked dried broad beans in olive oil with lemon', 'connection': 'Dried broad bean preparation as a staple ancient dish — Egyptian is served whole; Pugliese dissolves to a purée; same bean, same olive oil significance'} {'cuisine': 'Lebanese', 'technique': 'Ful akhdar bi Zeit — broad beans in olive oil with lemon and garlic', 'connection': 'Broad beans with olive oil as a traditional preparation — Lebanese uses fresh beans and serves cold; Pugliese uses dried beans and serves warm'} {'cuisine': 'Greek', 'technique': 'Fava Santorinis — yellow split pea purée with olive oil and lemon, the Cyclades version', 'connection': 'Yellow split pea purée served with olive oil and raw onion — almost identical concept; Greek uses split peas; Pugliese uses dried fava beans'}