Pasta With Fava Beans & Pecorino Romano

This is simple to make and delicious recipe that really allows the ingredients to shine. It's from "Bon Appétit" (May 1998). It works well with both fava and lima beans. If using fresh fava beans, peel the beans first, then blanch them for 2 minutes in boiling water and plunge them into cold water until you finish the rest of the prep.

• Ready In: 35 mins
• Yields: 6 appetizer portions

Ingredients

• 3  cups  shelled fresh fava beans or 3  cups frozen lima beans, thawed
• 2  cups  coarsely chopped fresh basil
• 2  large garlic cloves, chopped
• 1⁄4 cup olive oil (preferably extra-virgin)
• 2  tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 12  ounces tagliatelle pasta noodles or 12  ounces fettuccine
• 1⁄3 cup  freshly grated pecorino romano cheese

Directions

1. Cook beans in large pot of boiling salted water until crisp-tender, about 3 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer beans to large bowl. Reserve water in pot.
2. Combine 2 cups beans, 1 cup chopped basil and garlic in processor. Using on/off turns, process until beans are coarsely chopped. Transfer mixture to bowl with whole beans. Add remaining 1 cup basil, olive oil and fresh lemon juice. Stir to blend. Season bean mixture to taste with salt and pepper.
3. Meanwhile, cook pasta in same pot of boiling salted water until tender but still firm to bite. Drain pasta, reserving 1 cup cooking liquid. Return pasta to pot.
4. Stir 1/4 cup reserved cooking liquid into bean mixture. Add to pasta. Add 1/3 cup grated pecorino Romano cheese and enough remaining cooking liquid to moisten. Season pasta to taste with salt and pepper and serve.