Pasta with Broad Beans and Pecorino

Method

1. Clean the broad beans by removing the skin: make an incision with a knife and peel off the outer skin.
2. Finely slice the spring onion (cipollotto) into thin rounds.
3. In a pot, heat a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and sauté the spring onion until it becomes translucent.
4. Add the broad beans and a pinch of wild fennel (finocchietto selvatico). If using fresh beans, sauté briefly; if using dried beans, sauté for 10-15 seconds then add a ladle of hot water.
5. Cover the pot and cook the beans: 10 minutes for fresh beans, 20 minutes for dried beans, adding water as needed to keep them barely covered.
6. Once the beans are tender, season with salt and a generous grind of black pepper.
7. Add the pasta and enough hot unsalted water to cook it. Cook the pasta until it is 80% done (about 2 minutes less than the package time), adding water gradually and stirring occasionally.
8. Turn off the heat. Add the grated pecorino cheese (about 70g) and stir vigorously to create a creamy sauce that coats the pasta.
9. Add another pinch of chopped wild fennel and a grind of black pepper. Cover and let rest for 1 minute.
10. Serve with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and a sprinkle of fresh wild fennel on top.