Fava beans and chicory is one of the specialty of the Apulian peasant tradition.
It is a simple and poor dish, but genuine and is made with the fusion of dried fava beans and chicory, possibly wild: the sweet taste of the fava beans, that are cooked for hours until they turn into a purée, merges with the bitterness of the wild chicory.
The result is a typical delicacy of our cuisine connected to the agricultural tradition, that finds its essence through legumes and vegetables.
Fava beans have very ancient origins, already cultivated in the Bronze or Iron Age, although in Greek and Roman times they were not really appreciated due to some popular belief that considered them as food for dead people, therefore to be offered only to the dead souls.
It is also said that they were particularly aphrodisiac.
In the Middle Ages they became “the meat of the poor” for the poorer classes, as it was very frequently consumed.
Chicory have several therapeutic properties such as diuretic, anti-inflammatory, painkiller; it was usually used for different purposes, then it started to be considered as food since it was common in the Apulian countryside.
The perfect dressing is the extravirgin olive oil with croutons.
Fava beans and chicory is like a nutritionally meal deal and it is also good for vegetarians, it’s gluten free, and for those who want to have a natural dietary.
viaggieitinerari... in Puglia by Valeria Dicarlo 