Broad bean, which belongs to the bean (leguminosae) family, in Sicily is sown in the middle of winter, to be picked from March until May. Broad beans are a rich source of carbohydrates, so it was not without reason that they used to be called, along with cauliflowers, “farmer’s meat” (in Italian “la carne del contadino”). Broad bean is part of the cultural heritage of Sicily, as it is present as the basis of many recipes of the “cuisine of the poor”, such as “macco di fave” soups, made of fresh broad beans and green stems of fennel. Sicilian forebears used to eat it raw, with bread and ricotta salad cheese while working in the fields. We cultivate our broad bean in the area of Marina di Ragusa, Caltagirone and Comiso.