LemonHerb Pasta with Fava Beans

Ingredients

2 cups shelled and blanched fava beans

1 cup whole-wheat penne pasta

5 tablespoons olive oil

1 lemon, juiced

1 teaspoon honey

1 clove garlic, minced 1/4 cup fresh mint, chopped 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped

1 bunch scallions, chopped

1 cup crumbled feta cheese

1 teaspoons salt

1 teaspoon black pepper other. You also want to select pods that are a vibrant green color, avoiding any pods with yellowish or whitish patches. You can store fresh pods in your fridge for up to one week before preparing them.

Start by cutting the pods open lengthwise with a knife and carefully removing the beans. Blanch the beans in boiling water for about a minute or two before straining out the boiling water and rinsing them in cold water to stop the cooking. Once the beans have cooled, the skins will be loose, and you will easily be able to remove them with just your fingers. The beans will not be fully cooked at this point, so return them to the heat, whether that’s a sauté pan or another pot of boiling water. Cook until soft but not mushy.

While you can dress up fava beans with a little bit of olive oil and fresh herbs for an easy side, they make a great starting point for some standout recipes. Consider making this popular Indian dish, ful medames, or use fava beans in a lemon-herb pasta dish.

Bring a large pot of water to boil and add the pasta. Cook pasta according to the directions, reserving about 1/2 cup of cooking water before draining. In a large skillet, heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil, lemon juice, honey, garlic, mint, parsley, and scallions over medium heat. Cook for approximately 2 minutes until scallions are soft. Pour in the reserved pasta water. Add the fava beans to the skillet and cook for approximately 10 minutes or until fava beans are softened. Stir in the pasta and add in remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil, along with salt and pepper (add more to taste). Stir to combine. Toss with feta cheese and serve warm.