Fava Santorinis

Ingredients

• 400g Santorini fava or yellow split peas
• 1 onion, halved
• 1 bay leaf
• 1.2 litres cold water
• 1 tsp salt
• 120ml extra virgin olive oil, plus more to serve
• Juice of 1 lemon
• 1 small red onion, thinly sliced
• 2 tbsp capers, rinsed
• 1 tsp dried oregano

Before you cook

• Rinse the split peas under cold running water until the water runs clear.
• Halve the large onion and thinly slice the red onion.
• Rinse the capers and pat them dry.

Steps

1. Put the split peas in a pot with the halved onion, bay leaf and cold water.
2. Bring the pot to the boil over high heat.
3. Skim off the white foam that rises, and keep skimming until no more forms.
4. Lower the heat, half-cover the pot and simmer for 40 minutes, stirring now and then so the peas do not catch.
5. Cook until the peas have collapsed and the mixture looks like a loose porridge.
6. Fish out the bay leaf and the halved onion and discard them.
7. Add the salt and blend the peas smooth with a stick blender.
8. Pour in the olive oil in a slow stream, blending as you go, until the puree turns glossy.
9. Beat in the lemon juice and taste for salt, keeping it looser than seems right because it sets firm as it cools.
10. Spread the warm fava over a plate and make a hollow in the middle with the back of a spoon.
11. Fill the hollow with olive oil, then scatter over the red onion, capers and oregano.