It wasn’t until I started shopping at farmers markets that I realized how fava bean pods actually look like. They look like giant sugar snap peas, but when you cut them open, you’ll notice that the pods have a furry lining. I’ll be honest, cooking fava beans requires effort. After you shuck the beans from the pods, you need to peel each bean to get rid of the waxy outer skin. Trust me, that skin doesn’t taste nice. However, the delicate beans nestled within the skin makes the effort worth while. They’re very light and have a slight grassy flavor. This fava bean dip is very versatile. You can use it as a dip for crackers and vegetables, or use it as a spread for wraps and sandwiches. I have even used the dip to flavor penne pasta. The dip is quite thick, so if you want to toss it with pasta, I recommend mixing in a few tablespoons of water to thing out the dip.
MASTERING MY MISTAKES / COOKING NOTES
Variations: Besides fava beans, you can also make a similar dip with 1 1/3 cups peas. The dip made with the peas will be slightly sweeter.Testing Notes: In one of my test batches, I added 1/3 cup of shredded parmesan cheese and 1/2 tablespoon of white miso to the dip. It tasted good, but I thought the flavors of the cheese and miso were distracting. I also made a batch of the dip where I didn’t remove the beans from the skin, mainly because I couldn’t be bothered. That dip didn’t taste nearly as good as the one I’ve outlined in the recipe.
