Italian cuisine · Vegetable Dishes

Vignarola Romana

Roman spring stew of artichokes, fava beans and peas, braised soft in white wine and olive oil.

Ingredients · for 4 servings

• 4 artichokes
• 800 g young fava beans in the pod
• 400 g peas (fresh or frozen)
• 1 bunch spring onions
• 1 lemon
• 150 ml dry white wine
• 6 tbsp olive oil
• 1/2 bunch mint
• Salt, pepper

Instructions

1. Strip the artichokes of their tough outer leaves, cut off the tips, quarter lengthwise and scrape out the choke; put the quarters straight into water with the juice of half a lemon so they don't brown.
2. Shell the fava beans from their pods, blanch for 2 min. in boiling water and peel off the thick skin from each bean – this is the only way they stay tender and pale green.
3. Cut the spring onions into 1 cm rings and sweat them in a wide pot with 4 tbsp olive oil over low heat for 5 min. until translucent, without letting them take on color.
4. Add the drained artichoke quarters, sauté for 3 min., deglaze with the white wine and let it evaporate uncovered for 2 min.
5. Pour in 100 ml water, season with salt and pepper, and braise covered over low heat for 20 min.; after 12 min. stir in the fava beans and peas until everything is tender but still holds its shape.
6. Remove from the heat, season with the remaining olive oil, the juice of the second lemon half and finely cut mint, and serve lukewarm with white bread.