622. Fave alla Romana o dei Morti

These sweets are usually made for the Day of the Dead, and they take the place of the baggiana, the garden-variety fava bean, which is typically cooked in water with a ham bone for this occasion. This custom must have originated in antiquity, since the fava bean was used as an offering to the Fates, Pluto, and Persephone, and was famous for the superstitious ceremonies in which it was used. The ancient Egyptians abstained from eating the fava; they didn’t plant it, nor did they touch