Ingredient

Fava beans

The broad bean is native to Asia, although in the present it is also found - in particular - in the Mediterranean basin, and can still grow in all those contexts in which the climate is relatively cool: historians believe that the latter is native due to the precision of China, where evidence of cultivation dating back 5000 years was found. In nature, the broad bean grows on the Vicia faba plant in the form of pods about 15 centimeters long, inside which the famous seeds are found: if it is true that it was much appreciated during the age of the Roman Empire, it is equally true that it later became a food for the poor, only to be further forgotten following the introduction of the bean in Europe.

Use in cooking

Broad beans can be eaten in many different ways: first of all, it is possible to consume them raw, accompanying them with cheeses and cured meats, as indeed, they are the main ingredient of many soups or even soups.

Preservation

When purchased fresh, the beans remain in the refrigerator for a maximum of 2 or 3 days: alternatively, you can blanch them to store them in the freezer or, again, purchase them dry.

Curiosity

One of the most famous curiosities regarding broad beans is certainly that of the inverted growth of the pod in leap years: in reality, it is nothing more than a legend.