adapted from Julius Roberts’ The Farm Table

Blanch the fava beans in a pot of water.
Pour the olive oil into a wide pan, add the onion and garlic, season well with a pinch of salt and cook for 10 minutes or so, being careful not to color the garlic, until the onion is sweet and tender. Add the asparagus with a little splash of wine. Keep stirring and cooking for a few minutes, until the asparagus is nearly tender, then add the peas. Season as you go and add a splash of wine here and there to keep the pan juicy.
The peas won't take long, so keep trying until they're ready. At this point, add the lettuce - you want it to gently collapse but still retain a nice crunch. Turn the heat off just before the lettuce is ready, as the residual heat will continue to cook things further.
Add the fava beans and most of the herbs (holding some back for serving). Grate in the zest of one lemon, stir, then have a taste and adjust the seasoning as necessary.
Put the ricotta into a bowl and whisk well until it becomes light and fluffy. Grate in the zest of the second lemon, add a pinch of salt and the juice of half a lemon. Whisk to combine, then taste to check the seasoning.
Spoon a bit of the ricotta on to each plate and spread it slightly, then top with the warm vegetables and finish with a drizzle of olive oil, some more herbs and a squeeze of lemon.
Serve with toast, fish, or lamb, or use in an omelet.

1 lbs fava beans, shelled to yield about 10½ oz

5 tbsp olive oil

1 large yellow onion, finely diced

3 cloves of garlic, finely sliced

10-12 stalks asparagus, tips left whole, woody ends removed and stalks cut into chunky rounds a bottle of white wine (you won't need all of it)

1 cup frozen peas

1 head of gem lettuce, roughly chopped

1 bunch fresh mint and basil, finely chopped

2 unwaxed lemons

10½ oz ricotta