Greek Fava Santorinis: Silky Split Pea Puree with Capers, Tomato and Red Onion

Put the split peas in a saucepan with the chopped onion, carrot, garlic, bay leaf and water. Bring to a boil and skim off the grey foam that rises in the first few minutes, which is what keeps the finished puree clean-tasting.

Serves 6

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups (300 g) yellow split peas, rinsed and picked over
• 1 small onion, roughly chopped
• 1 small carrot, peeled and halved
• 2 garlic cloves, peeled and lightly crushed
• 1 bay leaf
• 4 cups water, plus more as needed
• 1 1/4 tsp fine sea salt, added late
• 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for finishing
• 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice, plus wedges to serve
• 1/2 small red onion, finely diced
• 2 tbsp capers, rinsed and patted dry
• 1 ripe peak-harvest tomato, seeded and diced
• 1 tsp dried Greek oregano

Instructions

1. Put the split peas in a saucepan with the chopped onion, carrot, garlic, bay leaf and water. Bring to a boil and skim off the grey foam that rises in the first few minutes, which is what keeps the finished puree clean-tasting.
2. Lower the heat and simmer uncovered for 40 to 50 minutes, stirring now and then and topping up with hot water if the peas look dry, until they collapse completely and there is no bite left at all.
3. Only now add the salt. Salting split peas at the start slows them down and leaves you with a grainy puree no amount of blending will fix.
4. Fish out the bay leaf and carrot. Blend the peas with an immersion blender, or in a food processor, adding the olive oil in a thin stream while the motor runs until the puree turns glossy and pale.
5. Loosen with hot water a tablespoon at a time until it flows slowly off the spoon like thick cream. It firms up considerably as it cools, so err on the loose side.
6. Stir in the lemon juice, then taste carefully and adjust salt and lemon. Fava should read savory and rounded, with the acid only just noticeable.
7. Spread the warm puree across a shallow bowl, dragging the back of a spoon to make a well in the center, and fill the well with olive oil.
8. Scatter the red onion, capers, diced tomato and oregano over the top and serve warm or at room temperature with bread and lemon wedges.
9. Despite the name, fava on Santorini has nothing to do with fava beans: it is made from a yellow split pea grown in the island's volcanic ash for something like three and a half thousand years, and it carries a protected designation of origin. What makes it worth cooking in August is the topping rather than the base, because a warm, mild, earthy puree is the perfect canvas for the sharpest things a summer market has to offer. Greeks call this whole arrangement fava pantremeni, married fava, and the marriage in question is exactly that pairing of something slow and soft with something raw and bright.

Nutrition (estimated, per serving)

• Calories: 260 kcal
• Protein: 10g
• Fat: 13g
• Carbohydrates: 27g
• Fiber: 9g
• Sugar: 4g
• Sodium: 430mg