Name: Favò di Ozein
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 75 min
Total time: 100 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: 500 g Fresh fava beans (Prepared weight, skins removed if leathery; not dried beans.); 240 g Ditalini (Dry pasta; choose a packet cooking time around 10 minutes.); 180 g Fontina (Weight without rind, cut into small thin pieces.); 120 g Italian pork sausage (Remove casing and crumble.); 100 g Plain rye bread (Slightly stale, cut into 1 cm cubes, without seeds or dried fruit.); 60 g Butter (40 g for the vegetable base, 20 g for the bread.); 100 g Carrot (Prepared weight, finely diced.); 50 g Celery (Prepared weight, finely diced.); 60 g Onion (Finely chop.); 120 g Generic salad tomato (Prepared weight, peeled and chopped.); 4 g Garlic (Peel and finely chop.); 6 g Fresh basil (Leaves, chopped.); 3 g Fresh summer savory (Leaves, chopped.); 0.2 g Ground cinnamon; 6 g Salt (4 g at the start, up to 2 g at the end.); 1,800 ml Water (1500 ml for the soup, up to 300 ml kept hot to adjust.)

Choose mature fresh broad beans and weigh them after shelling. If their skins are leathery, peel the skins too, then weigh out the full 500 g.

By Italia Magnifica · Updated October 2026

Prep: 25 min
Cook: 1 hr 15 min
Serves: 4
Difficulty: Medium

Favò di Ozein

Prep 25 min · Cook 1 hr 15 min · Serves 4 · Difficulty Medium

Ingredients

Skip to the method

4 servings

500 g1 lb
Fresh fava beansPrepared weight, skins removed if leathery; not dried beans.Prepared weight, skins removed if leathery; not dried beans.
240 g8½ oz
DitaliniDry pasta; choose a packet cooking time around 10 minutes.Dry pasta; choose a packet cooking time around 10 minutes.
180 g6½ oz
FontinaWeight without rind, cut into small thin pieces.Weight without rind, cut into small thin pieces.
120 g4 oz
Italian pork sausageRemove casing and crumble.Remove casing and crumble.
100 g3½ oz
Plain rye breadSlightly stale, cut into 1 cm cubes, without seeds or dried fruit.Slightly stale, cut into ½ in cubes, without seeds or dried fruit.
60 g2 oz
Butter40 g for the vegetable base, 20 g for the bread.1½ oz for the vegetable base, ¾ oz for the bread.
100 g3½ oz
CarrotPrepared weight, finely diced.Prepared weight, finely diced.
50 g1¾ oz
CeleryPrepared weight, finely diced.Prepared weight, finely diced.
60 g2 oz
OnionFinely chop.Finely chop.
120 g4 oz
Generic salad tomatoPrepared weight, peeled and chopped.Prepared weight, peeled and chopped.
4 g4 g
GarlicPeel and finely chop.Peel and finely chop.
6 g6 g
Fresh basilLeaves, chopped.Leaves, chopped.
3 g3 g
Fresh summer savoryLeaves, chopped.Leaves, chopped.
0.2 g0.2 g
Ground cinnamon
6 g1 tsp
Salt4 g at the start, up to 2 g at the end.4 g at the start, up to 2 g at the end.
1,800 ml7⅔ cups
Water1500 ml for the soup, up to 300 ml kept hot to adjust.6⅓ cups for the soup, up to 1¼ cups kept hot to adjust.

Equipment

5-liter heavy saucepan
Medium frying pan
Wooden spoon
Kettle for the water reserve

Method

Melt 40 g butter in the saucepan over medium-low heat. Add carrot, celery, onion and garlic. Cook for 8 minutes, stirring, until softened without browning. Add the sausage and cook for 7 minutes, breaking it into small pieces until cooked through.Melt 1½ oz butter in the saucepan over medium-low heat. Add carrot, celery, onion and garlic. Cook for 8 minutes, stirring, until softened without browning. Add the sausage and cook for 7 minutes, breaking it into small pieces until cooked through.
Add the chopped tomato and stir for 3 minutes. Add the prepared broad beans, 1500 ml hot water and 4 g salt. Simmer partly covered for about 40 minutes, until the beans are tender but still hold their shape. Start checking after 25 minutes if the beans are young.Add the chopped tomato and stir for 3 minutes. Add the prepared broad beans, 6⅓ cups hot water and 4 g salt. Simmer partly covered for about 40 minutes, until the beans are tender but still hold their shape. Start checking after 25 minutes if the beans are young.
Stir in the ditalini and simmer uncovered for the packet time, about 10 minutes, stirring often near the bottom. Add the reserved hot water in 50 ml additions only if the soup becomes too thick before the pasta cooks. Add basil and savory for the final 5 minutes.Stir in the ditalini and simmer uncovered for the packet time, about 10 minutes, stirring often near the bottom. Add the reserved hot water in 3½ tbsp additions only if the soup becomes too thick before the pasta cooks. Add basil and savory for the final 5 minutes.
While the pasta cooks, melt the remaining 20 g butter in the frying pan. Add the bread cubes and toast for 5–6 minutes over medium heat, tossing until crisp and browned at the edges.While the pasta cooks, melt the remaining ¾ oz butter in the frying pan. Add the bread cubes and toast for 5–6 minutes over medium heat, tossing until crisp and browned at the edges.
When the pasta is tender, remove the saucepan from the heat. Fold in the toasted bread and its butter, then add Fontina gradually, stirring until it melts through the thick soup. Add cinnamon and up to the reserved 2 g salt after tasting. Divide among warm bowls and serve immediately.When the pasta is tender, remove the saucepan from the heat. Fold in the toasted bread and its butter, then add Fontina gradually, stirring until it melts through the thick soup. Add cinnamon and up to the reserved 2 g salt after tasting. Divide among warm bowls and serve immediately.