FAVA BEANS GRATIN ASPARAGUS MAC-N-CHEESE

A lot of work, but worth it! It's cold outside and will be snowing so here's mama  and papa bear's recipe. Mash cooked fava beans (I would use my hands) - and add over caramelizing minced red onions under low heat, and let them brown a bit, stirring occasionally. Gauge color, then add slivered garlic and stir through; salt, pepper, chili flakes and sea-salted dried oregano it, and cook for another five minutes. Set aside.

(Preheat oven 425 degrees) 

Melt butter in cast iron pan, low heat, and add the undercooked penne lisce pasta (I used Delverde), the blanched asparagus (bias cut), ribbons of seeded peperoncini and mix well; salt, pepper, chili flakes it, then add milk and incorporate through. Microplane nutmeg over, more black pepper - and now break chunks of French brie, Spanish blue and grate large pieces of pecorino on the mac - incorporate once -  do it again (so you're cheesing twice; keep on top, don't incorporate) - then add chopped fresh herbs over (I used thyme, rosemary and parsley), and then the fava beans gratin that had been set aside; press it down gently, finish with more chili flakes, more pepper, swirl some oil, working your way from the middle to the rim all around (you don't want any spills in the oven when milk and cheese boil; why there is a baking sheet under the cast iron). Bake for about 20 minutes. See browning in the picture. 

 Serve in bowls. And don't forget to call mama and papa bear over! You have bibs? I thought so.