Name: Fava Bean Ravioli with Brown Butter
Prep time: 2 h
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 2 h 30 min
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour, plus more as needed; 2 large eggs; 1 tsp extra virgin olive oil; 1-2 tbsp water, or as needed; 2 cups shucked fava beans, divided (2-3 lbs whole pods); 1 cup fresh ricotta cheese; ¼ cup freshly grated parmigiano reggiano cheese, plus more for serving; 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil; ¼ tsp lemon zest; Kosher salt and fresh cracked pepper; 1 stick butter (½ cup); Mint leaves, for garnish (optional)

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I am so excited for fava bean season! My Fava Bean Ravioli with Brown Butter are the perfect way to celebrate this delicious spring time bean.

Overhead image of a rustic ceramic bowl with fava bean and ricotta ravioli in brown butter sauce with whole fava beans, mint and parmesan cheese on top, surrounded by rustic silverware (fork and spoon), a beige dish towel and another plate of pasta on a dark wood surface.

Overhead image of fresh fava beans in the pod on a dark wood surface.

Overhead image of raw fava bean and ricotta ravioli on a light brown marble round on a dark wood surface surrounded by a bowl of filling, a bowl of fava beans and a small wooden rolling pin.

I’ve been wanting to make this dish for YEARS

I can’t fully explain my excitement for this recipe. Fava bean ravioli might not be a super popular thing, but they’re definitely a thing. I got it in my head I wanted to make this recipe about 2 years ago and the season always came and went before I got the chance. Now that I became a little more confident in my pasta making skills, this didn’t seem like such a burdensome recipe to test out. So, they’re finally here! My fava bean ravioli with brown butter have made their debut.

Overhead image of a rustic ceramic bowl with fava bean and ricotta ravioli in brown butter sauce with whole fava beans and parmesan cheese on top, surrounded by rustic silverware (fork and spoon), a beige dish towel and another plate of pasta on a dark wood surface.

I love my favas.

I guess I get so pumped up about fava beans, because #1 they’re only available for a short time during the year, and #2 they’re pretty and green, and have a buttery texture and are so delicious when they’re seasoned very simply.

Now I realize these beans might not be so easy for everyone to find. They might be more readily available or at least cheaper in Western Europe than NYC, but I realize they’re not widely available across the United States or in other countries.

I’ve been finding them in Eataly lately, but have also seen them here and there in “fancier” grocery stores. They ALWAYS have them in the Fairway Market in Fort Lee, NJ too, if anyone lives near those parts. Also, I would expect some farmer’s markets to carry them at this time of the year, but Union Square failed me last Friday, so I dunno.

Substitutions

If you can’t find these beans, but still would like to make a similar dish, I have some thoughts for you. First off, dry fava beans are not going to work. The taste and color is just way off unfortunately, so this would not be an appropriate use for them. If you can find frozen favas, however, that would be a great substitute. Maybeee lima beans, but I don’t love the sound of a lima bean ravioli.

If you’re ditching the fava beans all together, I suggest trying asparagus. Boil or steam the asparagus until just tender, chop it up and use it just as you would use the favas in this recipe. Now there are some ingredients you just can’t sub out. The eggs, cheese and butter just have to say. That’s all folks.

Fava Bean Ravioli with Brown Butter

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5 from 1 review

Author: Sabrina Russo
Total Time: 2 hours 30 minutes
Yield: 3 dozen small ravioli, 4-6 servings 1x

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Description

My Fava Bean Ravioli with Brown Butter are the perfect way to celebrate this delicious spring time bean.

Ingredients

Scale

Pasta:

1 ½ cups all-purpose flour, plus more as needed
2 large eggs
1 tsp extra virgin olive oil
1–2 tablespoon water, or as needed

Filling and sauce:

2 cups shucked fava beans, divided (2–3 lbs whole pods)
1 cup fresh ricotta cheese
¼ cup freshly grated parmigiano reggiano cheese, plus more for serving
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
¼ tsp lemon zest
Kosher salt and fresh cracked pepper
1 stick butter (½ cup)
Mint leaves, for garnish (optional)

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Instructions

1. Blanch and peel beans: Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add shucked fava beans to water for about 1-2 minutes or until skins soften. Drain and place in ice water bath until cooled. Peel and discard skins.

2. Mix pasta dough: Place flour on work surface and shape into a well. Crack eggs in center. Add olive oil. Use a fork to whisk eggs and slowly incorporate flour into wet ingredients. When dough starts to come together, use your hands to work dough. Knead until the dough forms and then knead an additional 6-8 minutes. You can also do this over low speed in a mixer. Cover dough with plastic wrap and rest for 20-30 minutes.

3. Mix filling: Add 1 ½ cups of peeled favas to food processor along with ricotta, parm, oil and zest. Process until smooth. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

4. Make ravioli: Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Roll out dough using a pasta machine until translucent but not too thin. Fill and cut ravioli as desired.

5. Make sauce and cook ravioli: Add butter to a large pan a cook until browned, but not burnt. Turn off heat. When butter is almost done browning, place ravioli in boiling water and cook about 3-4 minutes or until just tender. Cook in batches, as needed. Place in pan with browned butter and coat with butter. Toss in remaining ½ cup of fava beans.

6. Serve: Distribute among serving dishes and top with parm and mint leaves, if desired. Enjoy.

Prep Time: 2 hours
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Category: Pasta
Method: Boil
Cuisine: Italian

Nutrition

Serving Size: 6 ravioli with butter
Calories: 440
Sugar: 4g
Sodium: 200mg
Fat: 28g
Saturated Fat: 16g
Carbohydrates: 33g
Fiber: 4g
Protein: 17g

Comments

romain says

May 07, 2019 at 11:15 pm

Fresh fava beans and scratch made pasta. This is serious, serious food.

Thanks for the reminder. Spring is late this year so I haven’t really even thought of them. Now I have them on the brain!

- sabrinarusso136@gmail.com says
  
  May 08, 2019 at 9:49 am
  
  Haha, good 🙂
  
Cookingwithloveandspices says

May 07, 2019 at 6:15 pm

This makes my mouth water ????????

- sabrinarusso136@gmail.com says
  
  May 07, 2019 at 6:41 pm
  
  Thanks, Kamini 🙂