FAVA

Fava and Raki - great pairing for a Cretan meze

A good fava is rich and creamy and this can only be achieved by making sure it does not dry-out or stick to the bottom of the pan during cooking. In many ways it is a very simple dish to make, but it does need a lot of loving, tender, care. It must never be neglected during cooking.

INGREDIENTS

- 1 cup of yellow split peas 
- 2-2½ cups water
- 1 small onion (finely chopped)
- 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- ½ tsp salt (guide)
Any size 'cup' can be used as long you use the same size for the water.

METHOD (Approx cooking time for above quantity is one hour)

1. Wash the split peas well in plain water
2. Place in a large non-stick cooking pot along with the water and set to boil on a medium heat.  Keep checking to ensure the fava never dries out, adjust the heat
3. As the fava begins to turn creamy (half way though the cooking time) add the onion, olive oil and salt slowly to taste. Do keep checking! Yes..check again and add more water, if necessary, to create a thickish paste (I prefer mine like just-melting ice cream).
4. When the fava is soft and cooked, remove from heat, allow to cool a little, then blend or mash the mixture well and scoop the amount you want into a dish. 
5. Serve with a little olive oil and chopped onion to dress.
6. Enjoy it meze style, canape style, tapas style or just piled high on crusty bread!
7. The remainder of the mix (in the unlikely event there is any) may be kept in the fridge for up to a week
8. Fava dip is best served warm or at room temperature

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Preparing horta

‘Fava forgive me…’

‘For you have sinned? Yeah, I’ll forgive you, but what about your guests? How will they feel eating me, so lumpy and tasteless? You really must learn how to make me as I should be, smooth, tasty and with just a touch of hidden depth.’

‘You have hidden depth already, dear Fava.’

‘No sweet chef, that is not what I mean…you use my depth as a means of hiding the lumpy bits, not forgetting the burned bits where you’ve got me too hot under the collar and burned me on the bottom. You must learn to craft me as a dishy perfection, as I truly should be…so desirable that all your guests will yearn to have me in their mouths…’

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