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Ingredients
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Fava purée
Finish & garnish
To serve (optional)
Method
Fava purée
- 1
Rinse and sort
Rinse the yellow split peas thoroughly under cold running water, removing any stones or debris. Drain well.
- 2
- 3
Simmer the peas
Add the rinsed split peas, bay leaf, the water (and broth if using), and 1/2 teaspoon of the salt to the pot. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a gentle simmer. Partially cover and cook, stirring occasionally and skimming foam, until the peas are very soft and breaking down, 35–45 minutes. If the mixture gets too thick while cooking, add additional hot water by 1/4 cup increments to maintain a loose porridge consistency.
- 4
Blend to purée
Remove the bay leaf. For a very smooth Santorini-style fava, transfer the cooked peas and remaining cooking liquid in batches to a blender or use an immersion blender in the pot. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil, the remaining 1 teaspoon salt, black pepper, and lemon juice. Blend until velvety and smooth. Adjust texture with hot water if needed — fava should be spoonable but not stiff.
- 5
Adjust seasoning
Taste and adjust for salt, pepper, and lemon. Keep the purée warm over very low heat, stirring occasionally, or transfer to a warm serving dish.
Finish & garnish
- 6
Prepare red onion
Thinly slice 1/2 red onion. If you prefer a milder bite, toss the slices with a pinch of salt and 1 tablespoon of lemon juice or 1 teaspoon white wine vinegar and let sit for 10 minutes, then drain off excess liquid.
- 7
Arrange on plate
Spoon the warm fava into a shallow serving bowl and smooth the surface with the back of a spoon, creating a slight well in the center.
- 8
Drizzle and top
Drizzle the extra-virgin olive oil (about 2 tablespoons) over the surface. Scatter the thinly sliced red onion and drained capers evenly on top. Sprinkle the dried oregano and chopped fresh dill or parsley. Finish with a light dusting of smoked paprika or cumin if using, and a few additional cracks of black pepper.
- 9