Fave dei Morti, meaning “Beans of the Dead,” are traditional Italian almond cookies associated with All Saints’ Day (November 1) and All Souls’ Day (November 2). Their unique bean-like shape reflects an ancient belief that fava beans were connected to the souls of the departed. In ancient Rome, beans played an important role in rituals honoring the dead, including the festival of Lemuria, when black beans were used in ceremonies intended to appease restless spirits. Over time, sweet almond cookies shaped like beans became part of Italy’s traditions for remembering loved ones who had passed away.
For my version, I turned to Pellegrino Artusi’s 1891 cookbook, La scienza in cucina e l’arte di mangiar bene (Science in the Kitchen and the Art of Eating Well), which includes three variations of a recipe called Fave alla romana o dei morti. I chose to follow his second recipe, keeping the original proportions of almonds, flour, sugar, butter, and egg. I made a few practical adjustments for my own kitchen, using almond flour instead of blanching and grinding whole almonds and choosing cinnamon as my flavoring, one of the options Artusi himself suggested. While his original instructions called for approximately 60–70 small cookies, I made 30 larger cookies instead. Although slightly larger than Artusi's original cookies, my version preserves the traditional ingredients and the history behind these little Italian cookies.
Fave dei Morti
Ingredients
2 cups almond flour
¾ cup plus 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
½ cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
1 large egg
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1–2 teaspoons water, only if needed
Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line one or two baking sheets with parchment paper.
2. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the almond flour, all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, and cinnamon.
3. Add the softened butter and whole egg. Mix until the ingredients begin to come together into a firm dough.
4. If the dough seems too dry or crumbly, add water ½ teaspoon at a time, mixing until it holds together when pressed. The dough should be firm but workable, not sticky.
5. Divide the dough into 30 equal portions. Roll each portion into an oval resembling a broad bean, about 1½–2 inches long. Flatten each slightly.
6. Place the cookies approximately 1 inch apart on the prepared baking sheets.
7. Bake. Bake for 15–18 minutes, checking at 15 minutes. The cookies should be lightly golden around the edges and firm on the outside. Avoid overbaking.
8. Let the cookies rest on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack. They will continue to firm up as they cool.
