The Greek Fava

Ever since I started this blog, I have evolved a great deal as a cook, as an eater, as an aficionado of food. I appreciate it more now because I know more about it. I have discovered new flavors, I have learned things from cookbooks as well as from my fellow food bloggers and my palate has become more sophisticated. I am no longer content with what I used to eat five or six years ago.

However, nothing will ever change when it comes to my food, Greek food. The appreciation I have for my country’s food has only grown and I have learned that I don’t need to mess with it in order to prove something, or try to make it better. It is unique.

Perhaps it’s the fact that for the last six years I don’t live permanently in Greece that has made me crave it more, or the fact that I am exposed to so many different types of culinary cultures here in the Netherlands that I don’t feel the need to fuse traditional Greek cooking to make it more modern or hip. I love it for what is.

Sure, I love experimenting with all types of cuisines and I truly enjoy new combinations, but you’ll find that when it comes to the traditional dishes of my country, I keep them very much intact. I love them that way.

There is so much room to experiment with flavors on other plains, on dishes based on Greek ingredients, the Greek staples if you’d like, but I will never cook mousaka with anything other than the ingredients it was meant to be cooked with. I leave the evolution, or destruction, of our culinary history and tradition to others, and there are plenty of them out there.

Fava (not to be confused with the fava bean which in Greece is called kouki/ κουκί) is a traditional Greek dish of yellow split peas (lathouri in Greek/λαθούρι). It is a purée, flavored with onion and cooked and served with olive oil. It is usually served at room temperature as a mezes, to be eaten alongside other small plates of food, or as an appetizer before a fish-based main dish. In my home though, we always have it as a warm main dish, simply because we love it so much. Especially me.

It is easy and quick to make, it is frugal, hearty and nutritious, and absolutely delicious to boot. Served topped with a good drizzling of Greek olive oil, and a side of anchovies or sardines, black olives (I prefer Kalamata), raw onion, feta and fresh crusty bread, fava is the epitome of traditional, rustic Greek cooking.

PS. Speaking of good Greek olive oil, unfortunately it is not always easy to find in the Netherlands. A few months ago, I was fortunate and very happy to receive a small bottle of Greek extra virgin olive oil along with a jar of Greek olives and Greek thyme honey from a young Greek couple entrepreneurs Nikoletta and Kostas of Karpos fine food who have started a business here in the Netherlands importing these goodies from the region of Amaliada in Greece. They were very sweet to send me their products and I have to say, all three were excellent. I encourage those of you who live in the Netherlands to visit their Facebook page and get in touch with them if you want to get some Greek olive oil, olives or honey. I love supporting these kinds of small businesses, especially from fellow Greeks and I hope you do too.

Greek Fava (Yellow Split-Pea Purée)

Fava can be made a little bit chunky or very smooth depending on your taste. I like it both ways. This one was made in Greece, I cooked it with my grandmother, I love to cook with her whenever I’m home, but I also made fava last week and I made it super smooth.
Santorini is famous for her fava. If you do manage to find some, do use it.

Yield: 4-6 main-course servings

Ingredients
500 g yellow split-peas
1.2 liters water
2 medium-sized onions, cut into four
100 ml olive oil
Salt
Freshly ground white pepper

Olive oil, to serve

Special equipment: colander, immersion or regular blender


Preparation
Add the yellow split-peas to a colander and rinse well under cold running water. Add them to a large, heavy-bottomed pan, add the water and place pan over high heat. Bring to the boil and using a spoon, remove the scum that gathers on the surface of the water.
Add the onions, a little salt and freshly ground white pepper, mix well with a spoon and once it begins to boil, turn heat down to low, put lid on ajar, and simmer, checking from time to time if it needs more water, for about 20 minutes or until the split peas have softened.
In the end you don’t want it to be too runny (if it is, remove the extra liquid), but moist. Add the olive oil and stir well.

Take the pan off the heat and leave fava like this for 5-10 minutes. Then using an immersion blender, blend everything inside the pan until smooth (if it’s runny don’t worry, it will thicken up as it cools). You can keep it a little bit chunky if you prefer. If you have a regular blender, transfer split peas little by little to the blender and purée. Then return to the pan.
Check the seasoning, adding more salt if needed.

Serve fava on plates, drizzled with a little olive oil on top.
Using your fork, mix the olive oil in the fava until incorporated. Serve with red onion, cut into four, sardines or anchovies, black olives, feta cheese and crusty bread.

You can also serve the fava at room temperature.
You will notice that once it cools, it thickens. Don’t worry, once you reheat it, it will be smooth and loose again.
The next day it will be even tastier.

Enjoy!