Name: Favata (Sausage and Bean Stew)
Yield: Serves 4 to 6
Cuisine: Italy
Ingredients: 2 to 3 tablespoons chopped fresh mint; 4 to 6 thick slices coarse country bread, fried until golden in olive oil; 1 cup meat stock or water; ½ cup dry white wine; Grated pecorino sardo cheese; Salt and freshly ground black pepper; 1½ to 2 pounds sweet sausages with or without fennel or garlic sausages (about 6); 4 cloves garlic, minced; 1½ cups seeded and chopped, canned tomatoes; 1 teaspoon sweet paprika (optional); ⅓ pound salt pork or pancetta, diced; Olive oil for frying; 1 bay leaf; 2 cloves garlic; 1 yellow onion, chopped; 2 cups dried white or fava beans, picked over, rinsed, and soaked overnight

Preparation info

Serves
4 to 6

Difficulty
Medium

Appears in

Italian Slow and Savory

By Joyce Goldstein

Published 2004

About

At one time Sardinia was ruled by Spain, so it is no surprise that this pork and bean stew resembles the classic Spanish cocido. The Sardinians serve this savory stew with slices of fried bread and braised cabbage and fennel fronds, and garnish it with grated pecorino. You can accompany it with “Suffocated Cabbage” (the recipe makes more than enough for an accompaniment, but the leftovers can be reheated). A flavorful garlic sausage or an assortment