Fava in Greece is like a hummus made with yellow split peas. The important thing to know, a fava in Greece is made from yellow split peas and has nothing to do with the fava bean.
There are many variations of Greek fava, but they all involve some basics: Yellow split peas. Olive oil. Onion. Garlic. Lemon juice.
This recipe makes about 4 portions.
Ingredients
- 300 grams/10-12 ounces of dried yellow split peas (prefer Santorini peas)
- 4 cloves of garlic, minced
- 1 med onion, diced (about 3/4 cup)
- 1 lemon for juice, or 2 Tablespoons of juice
- 1 teaspoon of vinegar, I used apple cider vinegar
- 4 Tbsp of olive oil
- Bay leaf
- Salt & pepper
- Optional toppings, chopped red onions, more olive oil, oregano, more lemon juice, paprika.
Directions
In a medium pot, heat up some olive oil. Add in onion and cook over medium heat. Add some salt and pepper. When onions start to get soft, add in the garlic. Add in more oil if it starts to stick.
Add the dry split peas directly to the pot. Stir to combine. Cook until split peas start to get a little browned.
Add in 2 Tablespoons of lemon juice (or juice from half a lemon). Add vinegar, bay leaf and 4 cups of water. Cover the pot with a lid and bring to a full boil for 10 minutes. Reduce heat to a gentle simmer. Add enough water to cover everything. Simmer for 40 minutes. Check often, specially towards the end, to make sure you are not running out of water.
The texture should be similar to hummus, it can has little pieces. If you want it smoother, you can use an immersion blender or food processor, or simply mash it with a fork.
Before serving the mash we mix it with olive oil – some people use just a table spoon others prefer putting so much, it almost gets the texture of mayo. This will depend on how you like it.
To serve, drizzle a bit of olive oil on top, top with oregano & diced red onions. Dust with some paprika. Serve it with a wedge of fresh lemon.
Suggest serving some with pita, naan, or other breads.
Alternate easier method. Put peas and 5 cups of water in a pot. Bring to a boil. Skim off any foam. Add in 3/4 cup of diced onions, minced garlic, and 3 green onions (cleaned and sliced). Return to a boil, then turn down to a simmer. Cover and cook while stirring for 20 minutes or so.
Add 1/4-1/3rd cup of olive oil, salt and pepper to taste. Blend. Garnish. Serve.