Molise — widespread throughout the region, spring seasonal
Spring soup from Molise using fresh fava beans in their pods at the peak of season, cooked with cured guanciale and a soffritto of onion and spring onion. The beans are shelled, the inner skin removed from larger beans (older beans), and added to a base built with rendered guanciale, onion, and parsley. Water or light stock barely covers the beans; the soup cooks briefly (15–20 minutes) to preserve the fresh, grassy character of the fave. Finished with raw olive oil and grated aged pecorino. This is a seasonal dish eaten only for the short spring window when fresh fave are available.
Fresh, grassy, bright with the sweet bitterness of new season fave; guanciale adds savoury depth without overwhelming the delicate spring character
{"Use only fresh fava beans at the right stage — small, bright green beans need no inner skin removal; larger more mature beans must be double-podded","Render guanciale slowly before adding onion — fat must be fully rendered before the soffritto begins","Add beans to the soffritto before the liquid — brief dry cooking in the fat before adding water intensifies flavour","Cook at a simmer, not a boil — fresh fave are delicate and overcook quickly to grey mush","Finish with raw olive oil and pecorino only off heat — heat destroys the freshness these contribute"}
{"A few whole pods can be added to the cooking liquid and removed before serving — they contribute flavour and colour","Wilted spring onion or leek gives a more aromatic result than standard onion for this delicate soup","The soup should be served in deep bowls with the beans visible, not too thick — it is a broth with beans, not a purée","Fresh mint leaves torn over at service brighten the fava's grassy character"}
{"Using dried fave — creates a completely different dish (the purée style, not the soup style)","Cooking too long — fresh fave lose their green colour and grassy flavour after 20–25 minutes","Removing inner skins from young, small beans — unnecessary and wastes the most tender part","Over-salting — guanciale and pecorino both contribute significant salt; taste before adding any"}
La Cucina Molisana (Ed. Enne)