Maccu di Fave Siciliano
Sicily — widespread, especially western Sicily (Palermo and Trapani provinces)
Sicilian broad bean purée (maccu) — the ancient ancestor of the Pugliese fave e cicoria, made here with dried split fave cooked to complete breakdown with wild fennel and olive oil, and served either as a warm soup or cooled and set in a mould to be sliced and fried the following day (maccu fritto). The addition of wild fennel (finocchietto selvatico) distinguishes the Sicilian maccu from the Pugliese version — fennel is not a background note but a primary flavour. The soup version is served with olive oil and croutons; the set version, sliced and fried until golden, is eaten as an antipasto.