Although we planted less beans last fall, the robust fava plants at the edge of our western garden are full of pods that I struggle to harvest before they grow large and stringy. We love eating them whole, much like green beans, as their velvety pods are tender and delicious. Over the years I have made the traditional braised fava with green onions and fennel, a more creative dish with preserved lemon and cilantro, and of course various kinds of fresh fava risotto, either with rice or orzo pasta. Inspired by a Spanish recipe by David Tanis I made a kind of fresh fava scrambled eggs, quite different from the traditional Greek island froutalia, the seasonal omelets with vegetables and potatoes.

Yesterday I cooked a new, apparently quite successful dish to showcase them: Inspired by the old, quick braised fava recipe with garlic, and both coriander seeds, and fresh coriander (cilantro) that I have in my Mediterranean Vegetarian Feasts, I created yet one more variation of the one-pot-pasta, this time with fresh fava and the two kinds of coriander/cilantro. Both Costas and I enjoyed it enormously, and we think that it is one of the best such simple pastas I made.

One-pot Pasta with Fava, Coriander Seeds, and Cilantro

Serves 3-4

1/2 cup good olive oil

4-5 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

1 tablespoon coarsely ground coriander seeds

About 1 1/2 pound tender fava pods, ends trimmed, chopped into 1/4-inch slices

350 grams bavete, ditalini or a combination (this was what I had in my cupboard)

About 4 cups boiling water or vegetable broth, Or more, as needed

Salt and Aleppo or red pepper flakes, to taste

A large bunch cilantro, chopped —stems and all

Crumbled feta for serving

Warm the olive oil and saute the garlic and coriander in a medium pot, until the garlic starts to smell. Do not let it start to color.

Add the chopped fava and sauté 2 minutes, then add the pasta, turn a few times and pour in 3 cups of boiling water or broth. Add salt and pepper to taste and cook, stirring often in high heat for about 9 minutes, adding more boiling water or broth if it gets dry. Taste and if the pasta is almost al dente, stir in the cilantro, taste, correct the seasoning, and remove from the heat, making sure it has quite a bit of broth.

Cover and let sit for 3-4 minutes, before serving in bowls, sprinkled with feta, and drizzled with fruity olive oil, if you like.

The post With Succulent Fava Pods appeared first on Aglaia's Table in Kea Cyclades.

Porihia or Vrouves —the fresh shoots of wild mustard— are the horta (wild greens) we most love here on Kea! 

Their flavor is strong and somewhat bitter, much like the Italian cime di rapa or brocoletti. I am very proud of the bunch I gathered during our morning excursion up, in the mountainous Kato Meria. Feels like spring but we are told that more cold, wind, and maybe snow is coming…

• SEE also the piece on Horta (greens) I did recently for ‘Greece Is’

With the bunch of porihia –wild mustard shoots– I gathered, instead of just boiling them as salad I made a fast, one-pot-pasta substituting greens and garlic for the tomatoes etc. of the original recipe. I could include anchovies, but I decided not to, this time. We didn’t miss them. 

I sauteed four garlic cloves in olive oil, added the greens, and some white wine, then about two cups boiling water, and half a packet of pasta. I cooked them stirring often, for about 9 min. Served the green’s pasta drizzled with fresh lemon juice, and more fruity olive oil, Aleppo pepper, and a handful of chopped fennel. We loved it!

See more recipes with greens, and the original One-Pot Pasta 

Braised Greens with potatoes

Lamb or Pork braised with Greens

Hortopsomo: Crust-less pie with Greens and Herbs

The post Greens, again… appeared first on Aglaia's Table in Kea Cyclades.

Για 8 άτομα

2 1/2 κιλά πατάτες, καθαρισμένες και κομμένες σε πολύ λεπτές φέτες (στον κόφτη μαντολίνο)
αλάτι
3 κουταλιές κοπανισμένη φρυγανιά
1/2 φλιτζάνι ελαιόλαδο ή περισσότερο
1 φλιτζάνι γιαούρτι
6 αβγά
500 γρ. φέτα, λιωμένη με το πιρούνι
200 γρ. τριμμένη πικάντικη γραβιέρα ή Ιρλανδέζικο Reggato
φρεσκοτριμμένο μαύρο πιπέρι

Προθερμάνετε το φούρνο στους 250C.

Σε αλατισμένο νερό, βράστε τις πατάτες για 10-15 λεπτά, μέχρι να αρχίσουν να μαλακώνουν.
Αλείψτε με λάδι ένα βαθουλό ταψί με διάμετρο περίπου 35 εκ. (ή το βαθύ παραλληλόγραμμο του φούρνου) και πασπαλίστε τη μισή φρυγανιά. Στρώστε πάνω τακτικά τις μισές πατάτες. Ανακατώστε το υπόλοιπο λάδι με το γιαούρτι, τα πέντε αβγά και τα τυριά, κρατώντας 2-3 κουταλιές από τη γραβιέρα, και βάλτε μπόλικο αλάτι και πιπέρι.

Αδειάστε κάτι λιγότερο από το μισό μίγμα πάνω στη στρώση με τις πατάτες και καλύψτε με τις υπόλοιπες πατάτες. Τελειώστε αδειάζοντας το υπόλοιπο μίγμα με τα αβγά και τα τυριά. Χτυπήστε το αβγό που περίσσεψε και απλώστε το πάνω από το φαγητό, πασπαλίζοντας και με το υπόλοιπο τυρί ανακατωμένο με τη φρυγανιά που έμεινε, για να κάνει κρούστα.

Ψήστε για μια ώρα περίπου, χαμηλώνοντας το φούρνο στους 200 ο μετά τα πρώτα δέκα λεπτά, μέχρι να δέσει το φαγητό και να ροδίσει καλά από πάνω. Αφήστε να κρυώσει 10 λεπτά, και ερβίρετε την πατατόπιτα ζεστή ή και σε θερμοκρασία δωματίου.

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