Savory tart with broad beans and pecorino
- Vegetarian
- Difficulty: Average
- Prep time: 60 min
- Cook time: 1 h 15 min
- Serving: 8
- Cost: Average
PRESENTATION
La torta salata con fava beans and pecorino cheese is a classic Central Italian savory pie that really shows off the flavors of spring. And you know what? In regions like Umbria and Lazio, this pie pops up as soon as the weather warms and fresh fava beans hit the markets. What makes it different is the creamy filling made with sharp pecorino, blending with the tender fava beans for a bite that feels both rustic and a little fancy. Seriously good stuff. The crust isn’t just any pastry—it is a crispy pâte brisée with a touch of lemon zest that wakes up the whole thing. Really, every slice brings together the soft beans and the salty, almost nutty taste of the cheese, making you think of big Italian family tables and sunny spring afternoons. Dishes like this are pretty much what spring is all about in Italy, giving you the chance to taste the season in every bite.
Throughout Central Italy, you'll find different takes on pecorino pie. I mean, they often swap in various greens or vegetables, but fava beans are the real star of the season. This fava bean pie isn’t just tasty fresh out of the oven—it also holds up well at room temperature. Perfect for picnics or Easter gatherings. The texture lands right between moist and golden, making every piece feel special, whether it’s your first or your third. For real, some folks in Italy even add in ingredients like asparagus or zucchini, which is great for anyone who likes to mix up their spring vegetables. With each bite, you get a little bit of the Italian countryside: buttery crust, earthy beans, and that unmistakable hit of good pecorino cheese. This dish makes you want to sit back, relax and enjoy what spring has to offer, whether you’re with a group or just grabbing a quick snack. Can't go wrong with that. No matter how you serve it, this Italian savory pie brings a bit of Italian sunshine to your table, capturing the heart of the season with every delicious mouthful.
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INGREDIENTS
- for the pâte brisée (for a 9.5-inch pan)
- Type 00 flour 2 ½ cups (300 g)
- Butter 10 ½ tbsp (150 g) - cold
- Water 5 tbsp (70 g)
- Lemon peel 1
- Fine salt to taste
- Pecorino cheese to taste - to sprinkle over the surface
- for the filling
- Fava beans 3 cups (500 g) - already shelled
- Pecorino cheese 3.5 oz (100 g)
- Leeks 1 ½ cup (150 g)
- Fresh liquid cream ½ cup (100 g)
- Whole milk ½ cup (100 g)
- Eggs 1 - (about 1 medium)
- Marjoram 1 sprig
- Mint 3 leaves
- Extra virgin olive oil to taste
- Fine salt to taste
- Black pepper to taste
How to prepare Savory tart with broad beans and pecorino
To prepare the savory tart with broad beans and pecorino, first make the pastry: in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment add the flour 1, cold butter cut into cubes, the salt 2 and the water 3.
Flavour with the grated zest of the lemon 4 and turn the machine on 5 until you obtain a compact, homogeneous dough 6.
Transfer the dough to the work surface, work it a few more moments and wrap it in plastic wrap 7. Leave at room temperature until ready to use. Move on to the filling: trim the leek and slice it into rounds 8. Boil the shelled broad beans in boiling water for 5 minutes 9.
Drain the broad beans 10 and let them cool just enough to remove the outer skin without burning yourself 11. At this point you'll have about 14 oz of broad beans, so transfer about 11 oz to one bowl and about 4 oz to another. In a skillet heat a drizzle of oil and add the leek 12.
Let it soften for a few minutes, then add the 11 oz of broad beans 13, the mint leaves 14 and the marjoram 15.
Season with salt and pepper 16, then cook over medium heat for 5 minutes 17. In the meantime pour the milk and cream into a tall container 18.
Add the egg 19, the 4 oz of broad beans 20 and the grated pecorino 21.
Season with pepper 22, add salt if needed 23 and blend everything with an immersion blender 24.
You should obtain a smooth cream 25. At this point take the pâte brisée out, place it on a floured surface and begin to roll it out 26 to a thickness of about 1/16–1/8 in (2–3 mm) 27; if you prefer you can roll it between two sheets of parchment paper, so you won't need any additional flour to prevent it from sticking to the work surface.
Transfer the pastry disk into a tart pan 9.5 in in diameter 28 and use your hands to press it well into the edges. Using a sharp knife trim the excess pastry 29 and rework it. Roll out the remaining dough to cut strips about 3/4 in (2 cm) wide with a fluted pastry wheel 30.
Pour the vegetable mixture 31 and the broad bean and pecorino cream 32 into the pastry shell. Now lay the pastry strips over the surface 33.
Arrange them first in one direction and then the other to create a diamond pattern 34. Finally sprinkle the remaining pecorino over the surface of the tart 35. Bake in a preheated conventional oven at 356°F on the middle rack for 60 minutes. Remove from the oven and let the savory tart with broad beans and pecorino cool before serving 36!