BEANFEAST

BROAD BEANS ARE A HARDY WINTER CROP THAT MAKES A MEAL FIT FOR A SAINT

Words Chris Stafford

Together with chickpeas and lentils, broad beans — also widely known by their Italian name, fava — were part of the diet of our earliest ancestors, a direct link to prehistoric times. Though grown and enjoyed around the world, they have been part of the fabric of Mediterranean life for eight millennia. Called ful in Arabic, broad beans are a prime ingredient in felafel; mashed with oil, salt and cumin they make ful medames, one of Egypt’s national dishes. In Italy they’re combined with pork or Pecorino for May Day picnics while in Sicily, where they star in the traditional soup maccu, broad beans have deep roots in folklore and religion. They’re considered a fertility symbol because they thrive in the poorest of soils — even clay or soils of high salinity. Legend…

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Good Organic Gardening (Digital) - 1 Issue, Issue #12.6 - 2022

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