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Fava bean sandwiches

6
3
3
SmartPoints® value per serving
Total Time
35 min
Prep
15 min
Cook
0 min
Serves
6
Difficulty
Easy
Pretty as a picture, these open faced vegetarian sandwich stacks taste like springtime with every bite. Fresh fava beans are fleetingly seasonal, (and they require a little bit of work), but their bright color and fresh green flavor are worth the extra effort. So delicious you might be tempted to eat it right out of the processor with a spoon, the light, bean/ricotta spread is made to taste even "greener" with addition of fresh basil and tart capers. Be sure to slice your tomatoes and sweet onions as thinly as possible before layering them on the sandwich. Make extra of this mousse-like spread and use it as a dip for crudités or crisp flatbread.

Ingredients

Raw fava beans

1½ cup(s), (shelled beans)

Part-skim ricotta cheese

⅓ cup(s)

Lemon zest

½ tsp, grated

Fresh lemon juice

2 Tbsp

Olive oil

1 Tbsp

Garlic clove(s)

1 medium clove(s), chopped

Table salt

½ tsp

Black pepper

¼ tsp

Basil

¼ cup(s), loosely packed leaves

Capers

1 tsp, drained

Light English muffin(s)

3 item(s), split and lightly toasted

Plum tomato(es)

2 medium, thinly sliced

Fresh mixed greens

½ cup(s)

Uncooked vidalia onion(s)

6 slice(s), thick, very thin

Instructions

  1. Combine beans, ricotta, lemon zest and juice, oil, garlic, salt, and pepper in food processor and process until almost smooth. Add basil and capers; pulse several times until basil is finely chopped.
  2. Spread fava-bean mixture evenly on cut sides of muffins. Top with tomatoes, salad greens, and onion. Serve immediately. (Note: to substitute frozen baby lima beans for fava beans, cook 1 1/2 cups beans in boiling water until tender, 8-10 minutes. Drain, rinse under cold running water and proceed with recipe.)
  3. Per serving: 1 open-face sandwich

Notes

To shell and peel fava beans, split open the pod and remove the beans. Cook in boiling water 30 seconds, drain, and rinse under cold water. Squeeze each bean to remove the skin. To get 1 1/2 cups of shelled fava beans, you'll need about 3 pounds of fresh fava bean pods.

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