Split Pea Puree

Mediterranean fava is made with broad beans. Greek fava uses peeled and cracked seeds of the plant Lathyrus Sativus (yellow lentil). In other countries fava is usually to be found in Greek specialty shops. The dish that is made in the Greek way resembles a puree and is drizzled generously with extra virgin olive oil.

˝ kg fava (yellow or green split peas)
2 medium onions, roughly chopped
1 teaspoon salt, pepper
3 tablespoons olive oil

To serve:
Olive oil, according to taste
2 lemons in slices
1 finely chopped onion
Olives (optional)

Place split peas in a pot with onion, salt, 3 tablespoons olive oil and cover with 5 cups water.

Cook over low heat until it becomes a mush and nearly all the water has been boiled off, about one hour. The pot should not be covered because the fava expands and so it might spill over. Near the end, stir continuously so that it doesn’t stick to the bottom of the pot and also to help it turn into a pulp.

When it cools, it becomes thicker. On serving, add olive oil according to taste, finely chopped onion, lemon slices, olives, capers or mint leaves, if so desired. The dish in which fava is served should first be rubbed with garlic.

Mixed Pulses (Pallikaria or Polysporia)

A traditional dish known throughout nearly all of Greece. In the old days, it was made on special occasions (the celebration of the virgin Mary on 21st November, St Andrew on 30th November etc). Farmers believed that with this dish they helped the good production of cereal crops. It is a survival of ancient Greek customs and, more precisely, of “Thargilia”. Then, they boiled crop produce in a pot and offered to the gods. Today in Greece, it is a tasty salad but also a delicious and wholesome soup.

100 grams of each type of pulses (wheat, chickpeas, beans, broad beans, lentils, etc) Salt, pepper

To serve:
fresh or dried onion
dill
olive oil
and lemon juice

Soak the pulses the night before. Wheat and chickpeas need more time in cooking, therefore place in separate bowls. Lentils do not need to be soaked at all. The next day, rinse the pulses and place wheat first in a large pot. Cover with enough water and boil for 20 minutes. Add chickpeas and cook for another 20 minutes. Add remaining pulses and continue cooking until soft. Season with salt and pepper and serve either as a soup in its own juices or drained as a salad, in both cases drizzled with olive oil and lemon juice and sprinkled with finely chopped onion and dill, to desired taste.

Lentil Soup

˝ kg lentils (brown)
1 medium onion
˝ cup olive oil
2 - 3 finely chopped garlic cloves
1 tablespoon tomato paste or 3 ripe grated tomatoes
3 bay leaves
Salt, pepper
2 tablespoons good quality vinegar

Place lentils in a pot with enough water to cover them and boil for 5-6 minutes then drain them. Brown onion in olive oil, add the lentils, garlic, tomato paste diluted in 1 cup water or just the tomatoes, bay leaves, salt, pepper and water to cover. Boil the lentils until cooked which will take about half an hour. Add vinegar, boil for 5 more minutes and the dish is ready.

Black-eyed Beans with Fennel

˝ kg black-eyed beans
˝ cup olive oil
1 medium onion, finely chopped
300 grams finely chopped fennel
1 tablespoon tomato paste or ˝ kg grated tomatoes
salt and pepper, to taste

Put the beans in a pot, cover well with water and boil for half an hour to half-cook. Transfer the beans into a colander to drain. Put olive oil onion and fennel in the pot and sauté for 5 minutes.

Add 2 - 3 cups water and cook for 15 minutes then add tomato paste diluted in 1 cup water or the tomatoes, salt and pepper.

Allow fennel to slowly simmer and almost cook, at which point add the beans, along with more water to cover and leave to cook completely.

Chickpea Keftethes

˝ kg chickpeas
1 grated medium-sized onion
2 egg yolks
4 tablespoons of ground dried rusk or toasted bread
˝ cup finely chopped parsley
Salt, pepper
˝ cup grated cheese (optional)
flour, olive oil for frying

Soak chickpeas overnight and the next day drain and rub them to remove husks. Rinse with cold water and then boil them in a pot until soft. Drain again and place in a food processor along with 2-3 tablespoons of the water from boiling. Grind for 2-3 minutes, add the other ingredients and grind to combine them well.

Taking a tablespoon of mixture at a time, shape into croquettes. Dredge in flour and fry them in olive oil. Serve alone or with tomato sauce. In the same way, we can make croquettes with split peas or with different pulses together (dried beans, broad beans, chickpeas and split peas).

Spaniatha

Basic but special food with Byzantine roots. Byzantine texts refer to “aghiozoumi”, holy juice from water, oil and aromatics plants, which were boiled together and served on plates, poured over slices of bread which had been placed on them.

From this dish, come various country dishes that are still made in Greece, such as “panatha”, a simple and basic meal. “Spaniatha” is linked to the Asterousia, the mountains in southern Crete and shows a different version of the Byzantine dish.

300 grams dried beans
5 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion in slices
salt, pepper
dried rusks

In a pot with enough water, boil the beans until cooked, making sure that some juice is left.

Brown the onion in olive oil in a pan until it changes colour. Add beans with their juice, salt and pepper and cook for 10 minutes.

Serve in a dish with a dried rusk underneath the beans. (It is optional to add lemon juice).