Fave e Cicoria Pugliese
Puglia — widespread throughout the region, especially Salento and Bari provinces
The iconic cucina povera dish of Puglia: a silky purée of dried fava beans topped with sautéed wild chicory in olive oil. The dried fave are skinned (traditionally the dried split fave that have already been halved and husked), soaked overnight, then cooked slowly with water, salt, and olive oil until they collapse into a smooth, almost polenta-like consistency. Wild chicory (cicoria selvatica) is boiled until tender, then passed through olive oil with garlic and peperoncino. The two components are served together but never mixed — the white fava purée and dark green chicory side by side is the canonical presentation.