Puréed Yellow Split Peas (Fava)--Creamy Comfort Food

A quick post for an insane week. These Puréed Yellow Split Peas are a creamy mashed potato like comfort food dish from Food From Many Greek Kitchens. I left out the olive oil so that it complies with my Engine 2 challenge guidelines. I ate it as a main dish with a side of sautéed collard greens and it made a nourishing and filling dinner.

Tessa says, "In Greece, fava refers to dried yellow split peas that, when boiled, melt into a creamy purée. This is great splashed with olive oil, pepper, capers and chunks of sweet red onions. It can be served as a meze with bread and cheese. It also works beautifully next to a main course, for example with grilled lamb cutlets."


Puréed Yellow Split Peas
Adapted from Food From Many Greek Kitchens
(Makes 4 Cups)

1 lb 2 oz yellow split peas
1 small red onion, peeled
2garlic cloves, peeled
About 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
olive oil for serving (omitted)
1 large red onion, sliced, for serving
handful of capers with leaves for serving

Rinse the fava, then put into a pot and cover with cold water. Bring to a boil. Drain and give the lava a shower in a colander. Rinse out the pot, put the fava back in and add four cups of hot water. Bring to a boil, add the whole onion and garlic and simmer, partly covered, for about 30 minutes. Remove the lid and simmer over low heat, stirring from time to time, for about 30 minutes more or until all the water has been absorbed and it starts glooping on the surface.

Stir in the salt to taste. Discard the onion and garlic cloves and pulse the fava, with a hand-held blender if you have one, or in a food processor until smooth like soft mashed potato--much will have collapsed on its own and it may not even be necessary to purée. Leave it to sit for a bit, then spoon into a serving dish. Drizzle a good amount of olive oil over the top. Serve warm with the onion slices, capers, and a grinding of pepper.

Note: If you have made it beforehand, you will need to add some water and beat it to thin out again to a soft creamy mash, as it will have set in a clump.


Notes/Results: Simple, creamy and good. A couple of cooking notes--I had to cook my fava an additional 20 minutes to get it to the creamy texture I wanted, as well as adding about 1/2 cup of almond milk to make it moist. The puréed lentils are good, but when eaten with the caper and onion topping, it tastes even better. Although this recipe is isn't anything fancy or my favorite Tessa recipe I have made so far, it hit the spot and is my contribution to this week's Potluck theme at I Heart Cooking Clubs.