Fava beans and Pecorino

The radio was on in the background, pop songs interrupted by ads peppered with the channel's "errediesse" logo sung time after time. Every now and again there was a news flash with the newscaster speaking at such high velocity I could barely catch a word. But the news was repetitive and words lashed out: 'concertone', 'Vasco Rossi', 'primo maggio', 'lavoratori', 'Piazza San Giovanni', 'Gianna Nannini'....It was 1999, the first of May, the international workers' holiday, was coming up. 

Every year on the 1st May a big free concert (the 'concertone')is held on the large Piazza in front of the Basilica of San Giovanni in Laterano. In 1999, the big name on the ticket was 'Vasco Rossi' who that year had a hit with "Quanti anni hai, bambina?" (How old are you, babe? - a rocking title there). I had no idea just how famous and popular he was - a kind of Italian Bruce Springsteen in terms of fandom but without the talent.
  
It was quite a few years later that I noticed the other 1st May ritual. I had vaguely observed in trattorie tablefuls of elderly Italians being served large pods of broad beans alongside cheese.The patrons would shave off and twist off slivers from a large wheel of white cheese with a black rind. They would unzip the pods and pop the fresh fava beans along with a piece of cheese into their mouths. They would chase them down with some chilled Castelli wine. This dish wasn't on the menu but the locals knew about it.

Not being a huge fan of beans and lukewarm about pecorino cheese, the poor man's parmesan, I hadn't been tempted to try. For many years I paid little attention to the fava beans which were always present on the markets and in the supermarkets in vast quantities in the Spring - long large twisted pods, Frankenstein's monster to the cute smooth green pea pods that invariably appeared on the stalls around the same time. They also reminded me of THAT line in 'The Silence of the Lambs,' as said by Hannibal Lecter: "I ate his liver with some fava beans and a nice Chianti." Though as more than one person has pointed out liver, fava beans and red wine makes for a nutritionally well-balanced dish.

More ominous is the extreme allergic reaction connected to broad beans which in some cases can be fatal. An American friend (of Italian origins) was on holiday in Sicily enjoying a plate of broad beans when she keeled over and had to be rushed to 'Pronto Soccorso' (the ER). She hadn't known she was allergic.

For some people affected by 'favismo' a genetic disease, the consumption of these beans can cause a severe hemolytic attack leading to anemia. Just inhaling the broad beans' pollen is enough to trigger an attack. Hence, the notice outside supermarkets in the Spring warning clients that broad beans are on sale inside.

Eventually, curiosity got the better of me and I decided to try. I also had discovered over the years that pecorino romano was in fact quite a tasty cheese it was just a good idea to hold off the salt when serving it as it has a high salt content. It is also the star of the show in my favourite pasta dish, 'cacio pepe'.

I bought a small amount of beans and pulled the thread to open the pod. The interior was soft white and velvety with the beans laid daintly on its bed. The beans were still encased in an outer dull film, which when the beans are very fresh can be eaten, but it can also be removed to reveal the smaller shinier bean. 

I hesitated. Then tasted them. Was I allergic? I waited, though already knowing it was unlikely considering I've never been allergic to anything. However, there's always a first time. I broke a crumbly bit of snow white pecorino and tasted it with the bean. The hard salty creaminess of the cheese complemented the earthiness of the beans. It was a success.

I have since that first tremulous assaggio eaten them many times and in a variety of dishes. As for the concertone, that was a one off.

That very first 1st May in Rome a friend and I set off in the early afternoon for Piazza San Giovanni in Laterano.It wasn't far from where we lived so we walked up the road under the warm sun. The Piazza was already packed when we got there. A stage with stacks of loudspeakers beside it had been set up in a corner in front of the basilica. We were too far to see much. The figures on the stage were matchstick sized. When the music started all that reached us was a disharmonious cacophony of sound. 

By the time, the star of the show arrived the sound system was packing in. We couldn't make out what he was singing other than a raucous croaking sound rather like crows make. The ground was strewn with discarded bottles of Peroni beer and crisp packs. Some groups of young people were sitting in circles on the tarmac swaying to the music and singing almost as badly as the star while some were trying to climb onto the roof of the bus shelter for a better view.

As the last act hit her electric guitar with an ominous squeal of feedback, I nudged my friend and suggested we move homewards. Others were also leaving the piazza, some weaving uncertainly having drunk too much, others sporting bright red patches of over-baked skin and others discussing where they were going to have dinner. More than anything it seemed as if the concert was more about spending time with friends than enjoying the music.

Every year there is a big concert on Piazza San Giovanni in Laterano. It's a once in a lifetime experience.