The Italian saying, ‘Prendere due piccioni con una fava’ – catch two pigeons with one fava bean – sounds slightly kinder than ‘kill two birds with one stone’ but its meaning, ‘achieve two aims at once’ is the same. It’s fave (broad bean) time again here and they’re particularly fresh, sweet and earthy tasting at present.
We had ‘two aims’ with this lot – a fave and pancetta risotto, and the next day, making the leftover risotto into fritters. (Roger not me, as my cooking is more southern Italian.) I admit, it’s the first time I’ve tried risotto fritters and they are delicious. Maybe a bit too much! And while I can’t take credit for this lot, I did help shell the fave, broad beans.
Shelling is a bit of work, especially removing the outer peel from each bean but we did so ‘Italian style’, sitting around the kitchen table chatting while the sun was setting. It reminded me of an elderly couple I once saw in Basilicata, sitting outside their door in the lane, shelling and chatting together. I admire how, many older Italians, from lifetimes of hard work, appear to be able to turn even tedious tasks into a time of togetherness and having a chat. Those Nonni always seem to know what’s best. Zoe x
Doing things like an Italian you’d never have thought you would when growing up… 
Zoë Boccabella 