Equipment
Ingredients
Roasted Roots
- 400 g raw beetroot, scrubbed and cut into wedges
- 15 ml olive oil
Greens & Beans
- 250 g broad beans, podded weight (approx. 1kg unpodded)
- 150 g mange tout, trimmed
- 1 garlic, clove
Dressing & Finish
- 125 g fresh mozzarella, drained
- 45 ml extra virgin olive oil
- 15 ml lemon juice
- 10 g fresh mint leaves, finely chopped
- 30 g hazelnuts, toasted and roughly chopped
- sea salt
- black pepper
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 329 kcal
- Protein
- 17 g
- Carbohydrates
- 22 g
- Fat
- 20 g
- Fiber
- 8 g
- Sugar
- 9 g
- Sodium
- 537 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 3 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 11 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 2 g
- Cholesterol
- 6 mg
- Potassium
- 634 mg
- Calcium
- 357 mg
- Iron
- 3.4 mg
- Magnesium
- 77 mg
- Phosphorus
- 342 mg
- Zinc
- 2.2 mg
- Vitamin A
- 71 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 42 mg
- Vitamin E
- 2.3 mg
- Vitamin K
- 10 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.1 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 0.3 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.15 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.21 mg
- Niacin
- 1.3 mg
- Folate
- 176 mcg
- Water
- 163 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F). Toss the beetroot wedges with 15ml olive oil and a pinch of salt on a baking sheet.
Roast the beetroot for 35-45 minutes until tender and slightly caramelized at the edges.
While beets roast, bring a medium saucepan of salted water to a boil. Blanch the broad beans for 2-3 minutes. Drain and rinse immediately under cold water. Once cool enough to handle, pop the bright green beans out of their grey outer skins (double-podding).
Whisk together the extra virgin olive oil, lemon juice, chopped mint, salt, and pepper in a small bowl or jar to make the dressing.
Heat a frying pan over medium-high heat. Add a splash of oil and sauté the mange tout and sliced garlic for 2 minutes until the mange tout is bright green but still crisp.
Turn off the heat. Add the double-podded broad beans and roasted beetroot to the pan with the mange tout just to warm them through with the residual heat.
Transfer the warm vegetable mixture to a serving platter. Tear the fresh mozzarella over the top. Drizzle generously with the dressing and scatter toasted hazelnuts if using. Serve immediately.
Chef's Notes
- Timing is key for a warm salad; have your dressing ready and beans peeled before the beets finish roasting.
- If you cannot find fresh broad beans, frozen ones work excellently but still require the skins to be removed for the best texture.
- Tearing the mozzarella rather than slicing it creates more surface area to catch the dressing and looks more rustic.
- For extra earthiness, swap the hazelnuts for walnuts.
Storage
Refrigerator: 1 day — Best eaten immediately while warm. If stored, keep dressing separate.
Troubleshooting
Broad beans are bitter and tough
Cause: The outer grey skin was not removed
Fix: Cannot be fixed once mixed, but peeling them makes a huge difference in future attempts
Prevention: Ensure you perform the 'double podding' step after blanching
Cultural Context
This dish draws from modern Mediterranean cuisine, which emphasizes letting seasonal vegetables shine with minimal intervention. The combination of broad beans (fava) and fresh cheese is a classic Italian pairing often seen in the spring.
