Orecchiette with Favas & Cherry Tomatoes

Name: Orecchiette with Favas & Cherry Tomatoes
Yield: serves 6
Ingredients: 3 pounds fresh fava-bean pods, shelled; 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil; 1 small onion, thinly sliced; 1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved; 2 teaspoons kosher salt; 1 pound orecchiette; 1 pound arugula leaves, washed and trimmed: young leaves left whole, larger leaves torn into pieces; 1/2 cup grated Grana Padano or Parmigiano-Reggiano, plus more for passing at the table; A medium saucepan for blanching the favas; a heavy-bottomed skillet or sauté pan, 12-inch diameter or larger; a large pot for cooking the pasta

December 9, 2011

A technique I have always liked, when preparing vegetables for a pasta dish, is to toss them in the pot with the pasta as it boils. Depending on which takes longer, I put the vegetable in first and then add the pasta, or vice versa. Either way, I believe this maximizes the flavor and nutritional value of the vegetables, and I know the pasta absorbs some of the vegetable flavor as they cook in the same water. I was glad to see this technique used frequently in preparing pasta dishes in Calabria, like this one, where orecchiette and arugula are cooked in the pot together before they are tossed with the other dressing vegetables, favas, and cherry tomatoes. Great to make in spring when fresh favas are in the market.

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