While attending a wine conference in Italy, travel and wine writer Julie Pegg visited a charming restaurant in the city of Orvieto, La Pergola Trattoria. There, she enjoyed this authentic dish of a few, essential ingredients making it an easy pasta recipe to try your hand at cooking with fava beans. 

Save this easy pasta recipe for cooking with fava beans to Pinterest. Photo courtesy of Canva.com. Graphic by Real Food Traveler.

Hungry for more? Learn more about where to enjoy pasta dishes like this in Orvieto in Umbria.

La Pergola Trattoria, just off the town square, is a gem. It attracts mostly Italians – always a good sign. Homemade fat noodles become a vehicle for those fava beans which are pureed, sauced and dotted with guanciale (pig jowls). Pancetta is a fair substitute but really no match for the guanciale in this dish.

Easy Pasta Recipe for Noodles with Fava Bean Puree and Guanciale

Ingredients:

2 TBS olive oil
1-1/2 tsp minced garlic
1 TBS finely chopped fresh oregano
1-1/2 cups chicken or vegetable stock
Sea salt and freshly ground pepper
2 cups cooked, skinned fava beans
4 oz. of guanciale, diced coarsely and sauteed in 1-2 TBS olive oil
1lb. pkg. fettucine, tagliatelle, or other wide noodles
Shaved Parmigiano or Romano cheese for garnish.

Method:

In a medium saucepan, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and sauté for about 5 minutes or until it starts to brown.
Sprinkle in the oregano.
Add 1 cup of the stock and bring it to a boil.
Add 1-1/2 cups of the fava beans and salt and pepper to taste.
Turn heat to low and simmer about 3 minutes or until beans are buttery tender.
Scrape the mixture into a blender and puree with the remaining 1/2 cup stock until smooth.
Return the sauce to the pan and add the remaining 1/2 cup favas. Simmer gently and taste for seasoning.
Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a boil and add salt. Add noodles, turn down heat slightly and cook until al dente, about 12 minutes.
Drain, reserving about 1/4 cup of noodle cooking water.
Pour the pasta into a warm serving bowl and add the sauce.
Add the sauteed guanciale.
Toss well and thin with the pasta water, if necessary until sauce, meat and noodles are well combined.

Divide among four pasta bowls and garnish generously with shaved Parmigiana or Romano cheese.

Suggested wine: Sagrantino, Umbrian Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, or Montepulciano

Alternative: Chianti Riserva or Valpolicella Ripasso.

Hungry for more? Here’s a pasta recipe for Tagliolini with White Truffles.