As some of you may recall, back in September of last year, my friend Jess and I went to Syros, Greece. There is a long story about this trip that includes Jenna Lyon’s congratulating Jess and me on our engagement, a hairless parrot, an Eyes Wide Shut party, and a thirty-year-old ice cream shop guy who wanted to have sex with me. Had I known that the world was about to change one month later, on October 7th, I might have forced Jess to stay a few days longer and bask in the utter simplicity and absurdity of our lives at that moment.
It was also on this trip that I fell in love with fava. The most peculiar aspect of this delectable spread is its absence of fava beans. I learned on this trip that when the Greeks talk about fava, they actually mean yellow split peas. And when they ask if you want chocolate or vanilla, they actually mean, “Are you trying to bang me?”
Yellow split peas are a protein packed starch that are a satisfying alternative to grains or potatoes. Fava is sort of like hummus, but lighter in taste. It’s filling, yet delicate and you can never eat just one bite.
Enjoy it as a dip with crudite or salad or eat it as a side dish with your steak, Branzino, or imaginary Greek boyfriend.