From The Chef
When I tasted the Uproot Sauvignon Blanc, my thoughts went straight to the bright spring flavors of this crostini. The wine, bright and crisp, is matched by the zing of lemon; the wine's gentle grassiness is a nice complement to the green fava beans. A quiet spring evening, a good friend, a plate of crostini, and a glass of Uproot Sauvignon Blanc are a perfect way to welcome the season.
Makes 6-8 large crostini
Ingredients
- 2 pounds fresh fava beans in their long pods (to yield 1 heaping cup of cooked, shelled beans)
- Extra virgin olive oil
- 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
- Juice of 1 lemon
- Sea salt or kosher salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 1 1/2 cups best-quality ricotta
- Firm, sturdy bread, cut into 3/4-inch thick slices
Method
- Preheat oven to 425ºF. Rinse and pat dry the whole fava bean pods. Put them on a rimmed baking sheet in a single layer. Toss them with 2 tablespoons of olive oil.
- Roast the beans for 10 minutes, tossing them once during cooking, or until the pods have substantially softened.
- Allow beans to cool until they can be handled. Shell them, then remove the beans from the individual shells, and set them aside in a bowl.
- Season the beans with the lemon zest, juice, 1/2-1 teaspoon of salt, a few grinds of black pepper, and about 2 tablespoons of olive oil.
- Toast or grill the bread. Spread 2-3 tablespoons of ricotta on each toast, then divide the favas evenly over the ricotta. Drizzle with a bit more olive oil. Serve right away.
- Pour yourself a glass of Uproot and Enjoy!