Along with ramps, fava beans are one of my favorite signs of spring.  We love

them raw with shavings of a big block of Parmesan or ricotta salata cheese and a lovely crisp white wine.  However, they are a pain to prepare – even raw, you have to carefully try to pull off the outer skin once you’ve shelled them.  It does keep you occupied and makes your consumption of wine slow down.  Otherwise, you have to blanch the raw beans for a few seconds to loosen the outer skin and then peel it off before using them in cooked dishes.  If you’ve never cooked with them, don’t let spring go by without trying fresh favas.  They really are worth the work – you’ll be rewarded with a slightly sweet, slightly acidic, bright green taste that will lively-up almost any dish.