Fresh broad beans with eggs and cheese

Here fresh young broad beans combine with leafy greens and eggs to make a superb weeknight dinner. It is an omelette of sorts, one that tastes of spring.

Credit: Paola Bacchia

• serves

  4

• prep

  5 minutes

• cook

  15 minutes

• difficulty

  Easy

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, plus extra to serve
• 1 kg (2 lb 3 oz) young broad (fava) beans, podded (about 350 g/12 oz beans)
• 80 g (2¾ oz) young leaf chicory or spinach, washed and roughly chopped
• 2 spring onions (scallions), white part only, sliced
• sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 6 eggs
• 100 g (3½ oz) pecorino, grated
• 25 g (1 oz) parmesan, grated
• a mix of green leaves, to serve

Serves 4 as a light meal.

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 210°C (410°F).
2. Heat the olive oil in a large ovenproof frying pan over medium heat. Add the broad beans, chicory and spring onion and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 10 minutes until the beans are cooked through, adding a bit of water if needed. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Place the eggs and cheeses in a bowl and lightly beat together. Add the egg mixture to the pan, making sure it spreads out evenly, and cook for 5 minutes or until the egg is cooked through. Briefly place the pan in the oven to set the top layer of egg.
3. Scatter the leaves over the top, drizzle with extra olive oil and serve straight from the pan, cutting it into wedges.

 

Recipe and images from Adriatico by Paola Bacchia, Smith Street Books, RRP $55.00

Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.