Fave or Asparagus al Forno with Speck and Parmigiano-Reggiano
The first place I was served fava bean pods, as opposed to shelled beans, was at Zuni Café in San Francisco. When they came to the table, I thought it was such an interesting idea, and when I tasted them I found them delicious. When you serve them this way, you want to use only tender, young, small pods, as larger pods will be tough and fibrous. If you can’t get young fave, use jumbo asparagus instead. In either case, this is a spring dish.
Recipe information
Yield
serves 4
Ingredients
Preparation
Step 1
Place a baking sheet under the broiler and preheat the broiler at its hottest setting.
Step 2
If you are preparing asparagus, snap off the stems at the natural break and discard the stems. Place the fave or asparagus in a large bowl, drizzle with the olive oil, sprinkle with the salt, and coarsely grind the pepper over them. Toss to coat the vegetables with the seasonings. Open the broiler and spread the vegetables in a single layer on the baking sheet, taking care as it will be very hot. (We are trying to imitate the effect of a pizza oven.) Roast the vegetables for 12 to 15 minutes, until they are browned but still al dente, turning them occasionally so they brown evenly.
Step 3
To serve, drape one slice of speck in a semicircle on each of four plates and lay one fava pod or asparagus spear on each slice of speck. Drape another slice of speck on the fava or asparagus and lay another fava pod or asparagus spear on the speck at a 45-degree angle to the first. Repeat, draping a slice of speck and laying the third fava pod or asparagus spear at a different angle than the others to create an irregular stack. Drizzle 1 tablespoon of finishing-quality olive oil, coarsely grind black pepper, and use a microplane or another fine grater to grate a light layer of Parmigiano-Reggiano over each serving.
Suggested Wine Pairing
Step 4
Kerner (Alto Adige)
