Frittedda by Cesarina Francesca, peas, artichokes, fava beans

Fava beans, peas, and artichokes for a recipe that tastes like spring

05/07/2025

With spring comes the time to revisit those recipes that best enhance the vegetables of the season. Today, we bring you an ancient recipe, perhaps not very well known, but definitely worth rediscovering. It allows you to prepare a light, rich, and healthy dish in no time. With our Cesarina Francesca from Palermo, we learn how to make Frittedda, a dish that, despite its name, does not involve frying. In fact, Frittedda is a delicious stewed dish made with peas, artichokes, and fava beans, found throughout Sicily, especially in the Palermo area. It can be served as an appetizer, a first course (paired with short pasta), a side dish, or even a main course. In short, it’s perfect for any occasion! Like many traditional recipes, there are as many versions of Frittedda as there are families who prepare it.

“It’s usually made without tomatoes, but some add wild fennel or mint. I like to give it color with a spoonful of tomato paste”.

Frittedda di Cesarina Francesca, piselli, carciofi, fave

Sicilian Frittedda

A dish with a rich, unmistakable flavor that enhances spring vegetables

DifficultyEasy

Cooking time30m

€

CostLow

Ingredients

1 kg fresh fava beans
500 g fresh peas
3 spiny artichokes
2 spring onions or shallots
A handful of parsley
1 tablespoon tomato paste
Salt and pepper
1 lemon

Method

Squeeze the lemon juice into a bowl of water to create acidulated water, where you will soak the cleaned artichokes.
Clean the artichokes, keeping only the tender part, then cut them into six wedges and immediately immerse them in the acidulated water.
Shell the fava beans and peas. Thinly slice the shallots or spring onions.
In a pan, heat some extra virgin olive oil and sauté the artichokes with the onions for five minutes.
Add the peas and fava beans, stirring frequently for a few minutes. Season with salt and pepper, then mix in the tomato paste with a few tablespoons of hot water.
Lower the heat, cover, and let simmer for about 20 minutes, shaking the pan occasionally instead of stirring with a spoon.
Adjust the seasoning, add a little more hot water if needed, and cook until the vegetables are tender but not overcooked.
Let it cool slightly, then garnish with freshly ground black pepper and chopped parsley before serving.