Farfalle Fava Roasted Tomatoes

Bow-tie pasta meets a velvet-green fava purée and jammy, slow-roasted cherry tomatoes — spring on a plate. —

Amount	Ingredient
:---	:------- :-----------
10 oz	280 g Farfalle (bow-tie pasta)
1½ cups	200 g Fresh shelled fava beans (from about 2 lb unshelled)
¼ cup	30 g Pecorino Romano, finely grated
4 tsp	20 ml Extra-virgin olive oil (for cream)
¼ clove	¼ clove Garlic, minced or microplaned
	Fresh mint leaves (about 6–8 leaves)
	Fine sea salt and black pepper
1 cup	150 g Cherry tomatoes
1 tbsp	15 ml Extra-virgin olive oil (for roasting)
	Fresh herbs: basil leaves, mint sprigs, thyme sprigs (for roasting)

This pasta celebrates the peak of spring with a dual technique: a creamy, no-cook fava bean sauce blitzed with pecorino, olive oil, garlic, and fresh mint, paired with cherry tomatoes that spend two hours in a low oven until they collapse into sweet, concentrated jewels. The fava cream is impossibly smooth and rich without a drop of cream — the beans themselves, combined with good olive oil and salty cheese, create a velvety emulsion that clings to every wing of farfalle. The slow-roasted tomatoes provide bursts of acidity and sweetness that cut through the lush fava purée. The oven does most of the work while you sit back; assembly is a matter of minutes once the tomatoes are done. It's a deceptive dish — simple in execution, elegant in result, and utterly suited to the warm-weather table.

Footer: If fresh fava beans are out of season, high-quality frozen shelled favas work well — thaw and blanch for 1 minute less. Do not use canned favas, which are too mushy.

Equipment

• Small baking sheet or ovenproof dish
• Medium saucepan
• Blender or immersion blender (with tall cup)
• Large pot for pasta (6–8 qt / 6–8 L)
• Chef's knife and cutting board
• Colander
• Box grater or Microplane

Prep

Step 1 — Roast the Tomatoes (2 hrs, mostly unattended)

Cherry tomatoes, olive oil, herbs — preheat the oven to 275°F (140°C). Halve the cherry tomatoes and arrange them cut-side up on a small baking sheet. Drizzle with the 1 tablespoon of olive oil and scatter the basil, mint, and thyme sprigs over them. Season lightly with salt. Roast for about 2 hours, until the tomatoes are deeply wrinkled, shrunken, and soft — almost jammy but still holding their shape. Remove and set aside. Discard the spent herb sprigs.

Step 2 — Cook and Purée the Fava Beans (10 min)

Fava beans — bring a medium saucepan of salted water to a boil. Add the shelled fava beans and cook until tender but not mushy, about 3–4 minutes for small favas, 5–6 for larger ones. Drain and rinse briefly under cold water to stop the cooking. If the skins are tough, slip each bean out of its pale outer skin (pop with your fingers) — this is optional but yields a silkier cream. Transfer the beans to a blender. Add the Pecorino Romano, olive oil, garlic, mint leaves, a generous pinch of salt, and a few grinds of black pepper. Blend until completely smooth, adding a tablespoon of cold water if needed to loosen. Taste and adjust salt.

Step 3 — Cook the Pasta (8–10 min)

Farfalle — bring a large pot of generously salted water to a rolling boil. Add the farfalle and cook until al dente. Reserve about ½ cup of pasta water, then drain.

Step 4 — Assemble and Serve (2 min)

Return the drained farfalle to the warm pasta pot (off heat). Add the fava bean cream and toss gently until every bow-tie is evenly coated. If the sauce seems thick, add a splash of reserved pasta water to loosen it to a creamy, flowing consistency. Divide among warm bowls and top with the roasted cherry tomatoes. Garnish with a few fresh mint leaves, a light shower of extra Pecorino, and a final drizzle of olive oil.

Chef's Tips

• Don't skip the double-peeling if the skins are thick. Mature fava beans have a tough, waxy outer skin that can make the purée grainy. For the silkiest cream, blanch, cool, then pop each bean out of its skin. Young, tiny favas may not need it.
• Pecorino Romano is the right cheese here. Its sharp, salty tang balances the sweet fava cream and roasted tomatoes. Parmigiano Reggiano is nuttier and less assertive — fine in a pinch but not ideal.
• The tomatoes can be made ahead. Roasted tomatoes keep in the fridge for up to 3 days in olive oil. Bring to room temperature before serving.
• Fresh mint is essential. Dried mint will not work — it lacks the bright, cooling finish that the fresh leaves provide. Basil can supplement but not replace it.
• Use the pasta water sparingly. Fava cream can go from luscious to watery very quickly. Add one tablespoon at a time and toss between additions.

Common Mistakes

Mistake	Why It Happens	How to Fix
:--------	:---------------	:-----------
Fava cream is grainy	Skins not removed; beans undercooked	Peel the favas after blanching; cook until fully tender before blending
Tomatoes are mushy or burnt	Oven too hot or roasting too long	Keep at 275°F (140°C); check at 1½ hrs — they should be wrinkly but intact
Sauce is too thick or paste-like	Not enough liquid in the cream	Add pasta water 1 tbsp at a time and toss vigorously until creamy
Flavor is flat	Undersalted; not enough pecorino	Fava beans are mild — season the cream assertively with salt and pecorino
Farfalle clumps together	Insufficient sauce or no tossing in warm pot	Toss immediately with the cream while both are warm; the starch helps bind

Related Recipes

Pasta with Fava Bean Pesto (#120) · Creamy Fava Bean Pasta (#41) · Pasta with Fresh Fava Beans (#217) · Tagliatelle with Favas and Stracciatella (#218) · Cold Pasta with Pesto, Potatoes, and Green Beans (#105)

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Recipe #216 — Farfalle with Fava Bean Cream and Roasted Tomatoes (Farfalle con crema di fave e pomodorini arrosto). Slow-roasted sweetness meets velvety spring-green fava purée.

Recipe from The Italian Kitchen by Vita Milanese — Volume 1 · Pasta Perfetto. Discover all volumes on the ebook page.