RECIPE: Extra Sauces and Gravies- Greek Fava Dip

An easy and filling dip to share with friends or add to the side of your meal 😋🇬🇷✨

It's been a hot minute since I shared a recipe for "extra sauces and gravies" so I thought I'd share a hot take on a Greek favourite. You can usually find Fava dip at any hearty Greek restaurant as an entree to go with your tarama, pita bread, pickled vegetables and maybe even some saganaki.

Before we get too deep though, Greek fava dip isn't actually made from fava beans.. In your best Big Fat Greek Wedding voice, I want you to say "It comes from the greek word..." 🇬🇷 No really, yellow split pea lentils and the dip itself is referred to as "fava" in Greek and originates from the island of Santorini. Think warm nights and beautiful sunsets... and fava.

Fava is the Greek word for yellow split pea lentils

In doing my research, I found that there were a few simple variations between different recipes- naturally. So that was a little fun to play around with. One interesting variation was using red onion or brown onion 🧅 I decided to go with red for something different and thought I would enjoy the sweetness it brings. However, a brown onion will still bring a nice rounded flavour to the fava if that is more your preference.

Another fun variation I found was the herbs to flavour the fava with. I chose bay leaves to give a more hearty, earthy flavour but I saw some people using rosemary and other herbs to flavour. Some even opted to use capers which I imagine would give a good kick of acid but I felt that the lemon was enough to elevate the fava on its own. A garnish of capers could get me curious though!

Greek Fava Dip

I made this a couple of times before I felt that I had the knack. At first, I boiled the lentils too long, almost like a dahl, and then as the temperature of the lentils cooled down it became thick and sticky. The second time round, I lessened my cooking time and temperature and found that it was well cooked but retained it's moisture and resulted in a lighter, more lovely smooth consistency.

Traditionally, you eat Greek fava dip as a meze dish. That means with pita, a little bit of vegetables, and a bunch of other dips. Not only is this a great snack, which we've spoken about being a bit of a sticking point for people with dysphagia, but also a ✨GREAT✨ way to share food with others. It's a really accessible, versatile and yummy way to make mealtimes social and take a seat at the table 🪑

Greek Fava Dip

INGREDIENTS

2 tbsp olive oil

1 red onion, diced

3 cloves of garlic, crushed

1 cup of yellow split peas, rinsed

3 cups of water

1 bay leaf

2-3 tbsp lemon juice

Salt and pepper to taste

METHOD

1. Heat the olive oil in the saucepan and add the onion.

2. Allow to cook for 3-4 minutes before adding the garlic. Continue to cook for approximately 1-2 minutes, being careful not to burn them. 

3. Add the rinsed split peas, water and bay leaf and bring to the boil. 

4. Reduce the heat to low-medium and simmer for 30 minutes, until the peas are soft and mushy. If the peas begin to stick and burn, be sure to add more water a little at a time.

5. Once the peas are cooked, remove the bay leaf and use a stick blender to puree. 

6. Add the lemon juice, and salt and pepper to taste. Stir well to combine and leave to cool.

   Serve on a plate or in a shallow dish and drizzle with olive oil and garnish with a herb or spice of your choosing.

Serve on a plate or in a shallow dish and drizzle with olive oil. Garnish with your favourite herb, spice or even a caper or two to make it your own and enjoy with your favourite people ✨🌈