Recipe: Creamy Fava Bean and Fresh Fennel Soup (Passato di Fave al Finocchio) (Italian)

CREAMY FAVA BEAN AND FRESH FENNEL SOUP
(PASSATO DI FAVE AL FINOCCHIO)

"The fava beans give this soup a luxurious texture. The original recipe, from Umbria, calls for smoked ricotta to be grated on each serving. You can also use ricotta salata, which is more readily available in the United States. The ricotta isn�t a hard cheese, but it�s firm enough to grate."

2 cups dried split, skinned fava beans
1 bulb fresh fennel, including tops and fronds, cut into 2-inch pieces
2 cloves garlic, peeled and sliced
3 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for serving
2 teaspoons dried fennel seed, pulverized (about 1 teaspoon powdered)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 ounces ricotta salata cheese, grated

Combine the beans with the fresh fennel, garlic, and olive oil in a heavy 6-quart soup pot or casserole. Add 8 cups cold water and place over medium-high heat. When the water begins to boil, lower the heat and simmer about 45 minutes, until the favas are tender and falling apart.

Transfer the soup to a food processor or blender, or use an immersion hand blender, and process until smooth. The soup should be thick, with the consistency of heavy cream. Add more water to the soup if it seems too thick. Return the soup to the pot, add 1⁄2 teaspoon of the fennel seed powder and salt and pepper to taste, and stir well to combine. Place over medium-low heat and gently reheat before serving.

To serve, dust the remaining fennel seed powder over each serving, add a drizzle of olive oil, and top with some of the grated cheese.

Makes 6 servings
Source: Fagioli: The Bean Cuisine of Italy by Judith Barrett