In western Sicily, frittedda is a generous spring dish built around the vegetables at their briefest and sweetest. Peas, fava beans, scallions and young artichokes are cooked gently, then finished with mint, vinegar and sugar for a balanced sweet-sour edge.
The preparation takes patience, especially when shelling the legumes and trimming the artichokes. That work is part of the pleasure: the vegetables stay distinct, while the finished dish can move easily from antipasto to side dish.
Spring Vegetable Frittedda
Prep: About 1 hour
Cook: 1 hour to 1 hour 40 minutes
Total: About 2 hours 45 minutes
Yield: 6–8 servings
Ingredients
- 1 pound fresh peas, shelled
- 2 pounds fresh fava beans, shelled
- 10 young artichokes
- Juice of 1 lemon
- ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- ½ pound scallions, white parts finely chopped
- Salt, black pepper and freshly grated nutmeg
- 4 large mint leaves, finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon red wine vinegar
- 4 teaspoons sugar
Directions
- Rinse the peas and fava beans. Trim and halve or quarter the artichokes, keeping them in lemon water as you work.
- Warm the olive oil in a large sauté pan. Cook the scallions over medium-low heat until soft, about 3 minutes. Add the artichokes and cook for 5 minutes.
- Add ⅔ cup hot water, bring to a simmer and cook for 5 minutes. Add the peas and fava beans; season with salt, pepper and nutmeg.
- Cover and simmer for 20 minutes, adding more hot water if needed. Continue until the vegetables are tender, another 20–40 minutes.
- Stir together the mint, vinegar and sugar. Pour over the hot vegetables, then let the frittedda reach room temperature before serving.
Serve it simply
Use a flavorful olive oil and taste as the vegetables cook; their age and size determine how quickly they become tender. The finished frittedda is especially good with crusty bread and a glass of fresh, savory wine.