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Ingredients
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Fava purée
Finishing & garnish
Method
Soak and cook favas
- 1
Soak
Rinse 1 cup dried yellow fava beans under cold water. Place in a bowl and cover with 3–4 cups cold water. Soak for 6–8 hours or overnight. If short on time, bring beans and water to a boil for 2 minutes, remove from heat and let sit for 1 hour (quick-soak).
- 2
Peel (optional for smoother texture)
After soaking, drain and rub a small batch between your fingers or between two towels to loosen and remove outer skins. Removing skins yields a silkier purée but is optional. Drain well.
- 3
Cook
Place soaked (and optionally peeled) beans in a medium saucepan with 3 cups fresh water (adjust to keep beans covered). Bring to a gentle boil, then reduce heat to a simmer. Skim any foam. Simmer until very tender and falling apart, 35–50 minutes depending on bean age. Add more hot water as needed to keep beans submerged. Test: beans should mash easily with a fork.
Make the purée
- 4
Drain and reserve cooking liquid
When beans are tender, drain most of the cooking liquid into a bowl and reserve 1/2 to 1 cup of it. Leave the beans slightly moist — don’t dry them completely.
- 5
Blend
Transfer the warm beans to a food processor or blender. Add 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, 2 minced garlic cloves, 1 teaspoon ground cumin, 1.5 teaspoons fine sea salt, and 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper. Purée until smooth, adding reserved cooking liquid 1–2 tablespoons at a time as needed to reach a thick, spreadable consistency. Scrape down the bowl and continue blending until silky, about 1–2 minutes.
- 6
Serve and garnish
- 7
Spoon the fava purée into a shallow serving bowl or spread on a platter. Smooth the surface with the back of a spoon and create a small well in the center.
- 8
Drizzle 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil over the top. Sprinkle with 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley and dust with 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika or Aleppo pepper. Serve with lemon wedges for squeezing over, and warm pita, flatbread, or raw vegetables for dipping.
- 9
Leftovers: Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 4 days. Re-warm gently and stir in a splash of water or olive oil if the purée tightens.