Ingredients
1 tablespoon coarse sea salt
1 1/2 cups shelled fresh fava beans – you will need 2 pounds of young favas whole (you may substitute fresh lima beans)
4 1-inch slices of pane Pugliese or other crusty Italian bread
4 whole garlic cloves, peeled
1 cup fresh ricotta cheese
Extra virgin olive oil
1/3 cup fresh basil, thinly sliced
Directions
Bring a medium size saucepan filled with water to a boil and add 1 tablespoon of salt. Set up an ice water bath nearby. Blanch the fava beans in the boiling water for 1 1/2 minutes, until just tender. Drain and transfer to the ice bath to cool. Drain the beans again and peel off the tough skins. Set aside.
Pre-heat the grill or broiler. Grill or broil the bread until deep golden brown. Rub one side of the bread with a whole garlic clove, rubbing aggressively to release the juices into the warm bread.
Top each slice of bread with 2 tablespoons of ricotta, and then top each slice with equal amounts of the fava beans. Drizzle lightly with olive oil, season with coarse sea salt, sprinkle basil on top and serve warm.