Kefalonia Fava Purée

Wanting to make this fava at home, after returning from Greece (channelling my inner sunshine) I got to researching. I initially thought it was made with broad (fava) beans, which seemed weird as fresh fava are green and dried fava are brown, whereas the fava I was presented with was a delightful yellow. Turns out, even though FAVA stems from the Latin word ‘favus’, meaning broad beans or fava beans, they aren’t actually used in the production of this creamy dip. Do you see where my confusion stems from? Having cleared that little mystery up, I found out that fava consists of yellow split peas, cooked alongside onions, bay leaves and garlic that are blended into a creamy, velvety purée. Traditionally served topped with diced onions, fresh herbs and a drizzle of olive oil, you can add some crunch with lightly grilled, al dente green veg like asparagus or, as we’ve done below, tender stem broccoli.

SERVES 6-8

FAVA
500g yellow split peas, rinsed in water and drained
1 white onion, quartered
3 garlic cloves, crushed with the back of a knife
3 bay leaves
½ cup (125ml) olive oil, plus additional for drizzling
2T lemon juice, freshly squeezed
1½L water

TO SERVE
Tender stem broccoli  
Olive oil, for grilling the broccoli and drizzling 
Salt to taste

1T balsamic vinegar 
½ a red onion, finely diced and fresh parsley, finely chopped, combined 
4 pita breads, toasted 

CHARGRILL THE BROCCOLI: Fill a medium pot with salted water and bring to a boil. Once boiling, add blanch the broccoli for no more than 2 minutes (until just bright green). Add a drizzle of olive oil to a griddle pan over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the broccoli to the pan and griddle for 8-10 minutes, turning them as you cook until al dente. Season with salt and set aside. 

MAKE THE FAVA: Rinse the split peas in a colander under running water, for a minute or two. Add the drained split peas, onion, garlic and the bay leaves into a large pot along with the cold water. Bring to a boil, then simmer gently for an hour. Skim the foam off the top as the peas cook. Almost all the water should have been absorbed. Check that the peas are soft. Remove the onion and the bay leaves. Spoon the peas and the garlic into a blender and pulse-blend until smooth. Add the olive oil in a thin stream as you pulse blend. Add the lemon juice and blend once more. Serve it immediately, lukewarm, drizzled with more olive oil and sprinkled with the red onion and parsley. Add the charred broccoli and drizzle over the balsamic vinegar. It will thicken up once cooled, so eat up fast. Warm Pita bread is essential.