Fava Beans with Fried Eggs

Fava Beans with fried eggs

Fava Beans with Fried Eggs reflects another simple, but aromatic dish. The flavour is in the simplicity of the ingredients. I have to warn you that the aroma in the house will make you more than hungry for an extra helping.

Fava Beans weren’t always my favourite

When I was growing up, I didn’t like fava beans and we grew a lot of them in the garden. I did like them raw. My nonno would always take us for a walk in the garden to pick the vegetables we would bring to the table. My nonna made fava beans in a variety of ways; sometimes she would brown some fresh pork shoulder and then add the beans. I can still smell the beans hitting the pork. Of course, she would add a little wine and you aren’t Calabrese unless you add some oregano.

Fava beans are high in dietary fiber and iron and are heart healthy. An excellent article to read:https://draxe.com/fava-beans/

Served with rye toast, this is a complete meal.

Fava Benas with Fried Eggs

This is a simple aromatic and comforting dish.

Course Main Course

Cuisine Home Cooking in Canada, Italian

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes

Total Time 40 minutes

Servings 4

Author Renata Solski

Ingredients

The Fava Beans

2 tbsp olive oil
1 large diced onion I like the onions chunky for this recipe
1 can Fava Beans (broad beans)
1 clove garlic cut in half
1 cup diced tomatoes
1/2 cup water
1/2 tsp oregano
salt and pepper to taste

The eggs

1 to 2 eggs per person
1to 2 tbsp olive oil
salt and pepper to taste

Plating

Olive oil to drizzle optional
Romano or Parmesan Cheese optional

Instructions

The Fava Beans

In a pan place olive oil, onion, garlic and oregano. Sauté for a few minutes.
Add the fava beans, tomatoes and half cup of water. Put the lid on the pot.
Simmer for 30 minutes.

The eggs

Place the olive oil in a frying pan.
Make sure the oil is heated before dropping in the eggs.
The eggs should be soft and the egg yolk will ad creaminess to the dish. However, if you don't like soft, you can cook them to your desired taste.
Salt and pepper to taste.

Plating

Scoop out about 3/4 cup of fava beans onto a plate and place the fried egg on top.
Drizzle a little olive oil on top and sprinkle with Parmesan or Romano cheese.
Serve with toast or fresh bread.

Recipe Notes

Remove garlic chunks before serving. I mash them onto my toast and eat them. 🙂 Now that is Italian!!

March 5, 2018July 31, 2018

Eggs Florentine with Rapini

Traditionally Florentine eggs have spinach, a poached egg, Mornay sauce and cheese. A staple in my house is rapini ( broccoli rabe); it has a slightly bitter taste, but it builds a different flavour level in recipes. This morning, I am busy developing new recipes and need to fuel my spirits. I have blanched some rapini for a new recipe and I need to taste it; and therefore, this recipe came to be. My Eggs Florentine with Rapini is just what I need today; it is Southern Italian rustic food. It is not your traditional egg Florentine because the egg is fried and not poached. I like the dept of flavour in this dish. I don’t have time to make a sauce for my eggs, but if I did, I would make a Hollandaise sauce which would compliment the rapini.

These green leafy bunches are packed with an array of vitamins and they also help fight cancer and keep bones strong. More information at http://www.chatelaine.com/health/diet/rapini-the-amazing-health-benefits-of-the-broccoli-relative/

My Calabrese family has many dishes that we prepare with rapini; the most favourite being pasta and rapini, which I will cover in another post.

I blanched the rapini, and I love the sharp green colour.

I put 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a small frying pan and sautee the rapini. Make a nest in the middle to place the egg.

The egg is in the rapini nest.

I add some cheese and it’s a beautiful thing.

January 20, 2018January 20, 2018

Stuffed Eggs Italian Style

These Stuffed Eggs Italian Style are a staple in my Italian kitchen. My first memories of eggs are that of them chirping; my nonna would say that they were talking to us. It was the same sound of a chicken and that worried me: one scientific explanation is that the membrane of the egg comes through the holes inside because eggs are porous and thus the chirping. Nonna would boil eggs to take to the beach as a snack, and she would entertain me with stories using the chirping sounds. My nonna Emilia was a most renowned storyteller.

This recipe was inspired by Filippo Vairo who wrote a recipe book called Antichi sapori di Amantea. Thank you to our friends at Hotel La Tonnara in Amantea. When I was there in September 2017, they gave me this treasury of recipes some of which my grandmother made. You can put these eggs on top of a bed of greens drizzled with olive oil. They will be the centre of attention at any table. The tomato ones are very delicate, while the tuna and olive ones have a bold flavour.

When put on a platter they are a complete meal.

Why stuff an egg?

We stuff an egg because like I said in previous posts, Italians stuff everything. The traditional deviled egg uses mustard or something spicy to elevate the flavours. There is an appearance of Roman seasoned eggs which dates back to the fourth or fifth century. If the history of the deviled egg interests you, read this article http://www.history.com/news/hungry-history/the-ancient-history-of-deviled-eggs

I enjoy reading the history behind the foods we eat. Today, my stuffed eggs Italian style aren’t fancy, but they are tasty. Remember it is the combination of flavours that will give you a variety of dishes.

Stuffed Eggs Italian Style

Combination of simple flavours.

Course Appetizer

Cuisine Italian

Prep Time 30 minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes

Total Time 40 minutes

Author Renata Solski

Ingredients

The main Ingredient

6 eggs hard boiled
1 tsp salt

The stuffing

3 tsp olive oil
marinara sauce
parsley
tuna
green olives
lemon
salt
pepper

Instructions

The Perfect Hard Boiled Egg

Put the eggs in a pot and cover with one inch of water.
Add a teaspoon of salt. This stops the eggs from cracking and makes them easier to peel.
I bring the pot to a boil and then turn of the heat and let the eggs sit for 10 minutes before I run them under cold water.
Keep them in a cold water bath for 10 minutes.
Peel.
I like this easy video by Faith Durand.
https://www.thekitchn.com/how-to-boil-eggs-perfectly-every-time-video-202415

The fillings

Combine the yolks of two eggs as follows:
First combination: yolks plus two tablespoons of marinara sauce. Add chopped parsley, 1 tsp olive oil, 1 tsp parmesan cheese, salt and pepper.
Second combination: yolks plus 2 tbsp tuna, 1 tsp olive oil, sprinkle of oregano, salt and pepper.
Third combination: yolks plus, 10 chopped green olives, lemon zest, 1 tsp olive oil, salt and pepper.

Assembling the eggs

Slice the eggs lengthwise and remove the yolk.
Arrange on a pretty platter.
Once the fillings are assembled, use a teaspoon or a piping bag to stuff eggs.
Fill 4 halves with each filling.
Arrange your favourite vegetables in the centre. I used red peppers and scallions.
Sprinkle with chives and drizzle some olive oil overtop.
Add some freshly grated lemon zest.

January 19, 2018February 4, 2018