La Fracchiata

Directions

1. 1
   Place the dried favas in a large soup pot, cover them with cold water, add 1 tablespoon of sea salt and bring the beans to a simmer.
2. 2
   Cover the pot and let the beans rest for 1 hour.
3. 3
   Drain the beans, covering them with fresh, cold water and adding another tablespoon of sea salt.
4. 4
   Bring the beans to a simmer again, cooking them over a gentle flame for 1 hour or until very tender.
5. 5
   Drain the beans, reserving 2 cups or so of their cooking water, and set them aside.
6. 6
   In a medium saute pan over a medium flame, warm 1/4 cup of the olive oil and soften the garlic for a minute or two, taking care not to let it color.
7. 7
   Add the chile and the pancetta, sauteing over a gentle flame until the pancetta has given up its fat and the oil is perfumed.
8. 8
   In the work bowl of a food processor, pulse the favas, adding some of their cooking liquors to obtain a pourable but not too liquid puree.
9. 9
   Add the aromatic oil and the pancetta and process for another minute to blend the components.
10. 10
    Turn the puree out into a medium saucepan and set aside.
11. 11
    Heat the remaining olive oil in a saute pan and saute the cubes of bread, turning them about in the oil until they are browned and crisped.
12. 12
    Reheat the puree for a minute or two, adding its cooking liquors if the soup seems too thick.
13. 13
    Ladle the soup into shallow, warmed bowls, strewing each with the bread.