Fave Dolci

Fave dolci (sweet fava beans) are traditional Italian almond cookies shaped to look like lima beans. Ground unblanched almonds give them a rustic, slightly grainy texture, while orange flower water and lemon zest add a floral perfume that’s unmistakably Southern Italian.

The food processor does the heavy lifting here. Almonds ground to a fine powder with sugar, then butter, egg, lemon peel, orange flower water, and cinnamon all processed into a smooth paste. The flour gets pulsed in last with just a few on/off bursts. Overprocessing at this stage develops gluten and makes the cookies tough instead of tender and crumbly.

The overnight refrigeration is the most important step. This almond-heavy dough is sticky and impossible to shape at room temperature. A full night in the fridge firms the butter and lets the ground almonds absorb moisture, making the dough workable enough to roll into small cylinders.

Pressing an indentation in the side of each cylinder with your finger or a spoon handle creates the distinctive fava bean shape that gives these cookies their name. The slight dimple also creates thin edges that bake up crispier while the thicker center stays soft and chewy.

Chef Tips

• Use unblanched almonds specifically. The skins add a slight bitterness and speckled appearance that’s traditional to fave dolci.
• Pull the cookies from the oven when they’re barely beginning to color. They continue firming as they cool on the sheet. Overbaked fave dolci lose their tender interior.
• Orange flower water is essential and not a substitution for orange extract. It has a completely different, more delicate floral quality. Find it at Middle Eastern or specialty grocery stores.

Variations

• Pistachio fave: Replace half the almonds with shelled pistachios for a green-tinted cookie with a nuttier flavor.
• Chocolate dipped: Dip one end of the cooled cookies in melted dark chocolate for a modern presentation.