Back home in Malta this is an extremely popular dish, especially when broad beans are in season. It's a labour of love as we buy fresh broad beans, still in the pod, and peel and clean them one by one. Now, luckily, broad beans can be found frozen, or you can find them canned too - although to be clear, these are not to be confused with butter beans, which often go by the same name.
This dish is simple, and features Israeli couscous (or as we call it in Malta, kusksu). Traditionally, in the very last few minutes of cooking, eggs are cracked into the stew along with a local sheep's cheese (ġbejniet friski). In the UK, these are impossible to find (although not impossible to make...) so I've substituted with fresh ricotta, which works just as nicely. Due to the loose nature of ricotta, however, this is just added in to serve.
The below will serve 4-5 people
Ingredients
1 courgette
1 white onion
1 spring onion
3 cloves garlic
5gr fresh mint
5gr fresh basil
5gr fresh parsley
150gr frozen peas
300gr broad beans
1 vegetable stock cube
230gr Israeli couscous (giant couscous)
1tbsp tomato paste
Salt and pepper, to taste
250gr ricotta OR 1 local sheeps' cheeselets per person (optional)
2 eggs per person (optional)
Method
1. Cut the courgettes into cubes and set aside. Chop the onion and spring onion finely and mince the garlic. Chop the herbs finely and set aside.
2. In a large pot over medium-high heat, drizzle some olive oil. Add in the onion and spring onion and cook until softened. Add in the peas, courgette, and beans along with the garlic and herbs. Cook until fragrant.
3. Add in the Israeli couscous and pour in boiling water until the couscous is covered and there is water up until around 3-5cm above the couscous. Add in the vegetable stock cube and tomato paste. Season with salt and pepper. Allow to boil for around 10 minutes, stirring regularly. Add in more water if necessary - the couscous tends to absorb a lot of water very quickly.
4. Crack the eggs into the pot - do not mix after this point. (If using sheeps' cheeselets add in at this point also.) Cover with a lid and allow to cook until the whites have set. Once the egg whites have set, the dish is ready to serve.
5. Portion out the dish and add in a spoonful of two of ricotta (if using ricotta). Serve the dish piping hot.
Recreating this recipe? Tag me on instagram @juliawgr!
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