This one trips people up: fava, in Greece, does not mean fava beans. It means a golden purée made from a small yellow split pea grown on the volcanic soil of Santorini, boiled with onion until it collapses into something silky and rich, then finished with a generous pour of good olive oil and a squeeze of lemon. It is one of the simplest things on this site, and one of the most quietly perfect.

It belongs alongside the other dips and spreads on the site, like Melitzanosalata and Skordalia, though its texture is smoother and its flavor a little sweeter and earthier, closer to a good hummus than to a chunky eggplant dip. In Santorini it is traditionally topped with caramelized onions and capers, and there is no reason to change that.

Yellow split peas are nothing exotic, which is what makes this one of the easiest additions to your weeknight rotation: dump, simmer, blend, drizzle, and you have something that tastes like it took a lot more effort than it did.

Fava Santorinis Recipe

What you need

Ingredients

2 cups dried yellow split peas, rinsed
1 small yellow onion, quartered, plus 1/2 cup finely diced onion for topping
1 bay leaf
4 cups water, plus more as needed
1/2 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, plus more to taste
1 tablespoon butter or olive oil (for the onion topping)
1 tablespoon capers, drained
2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill or parsley
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Cook along

Instructions

Combine the split peas, quartered onion, bay leaf, and water in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil, skimming off any foam that rises to the top, then reduce the heat to low and simmer, uncovered, for 35 to 40 minutes, stirring occasionally and adding a splash more water if it looks dry, until the peas have completely broken down into a thick, soft mass.
Remove the bay leaf and quartered onion pieces. Blend the mixture with an immersion blender (or in batches in a stand blender) until completely smooth, adding a little warm water if needed to reach a thick but pourable, hummus-like consistency.
Stir in the 1/3 cup olive oil and 2 tablespoons lemon juice while the purée is still warm. Season with salt, pepper, and more lemon juice to taste. Spread onto a shallow serving plate.
While the fava cooks or cools slightly, melt the butter (or heat the olive oil) in a small skillet over medium heat and cook the finely diced onion for 8 to 10 minutes, until deeply golden and caramelized.
Top the fava with the caramelized onions, capers, a generous drizzle of good olive oil, and the fresh dill or parsley. Serve warm or at room temperature with warm pita, crusty bread, or vegetables for dipping.