Fava: Broad Bean puree w/ olive oil.
Fava is a dish made from dried broad beans (fava beans). It is common in Mediterranean, especially in Turkey and Greece. The buttery texture of the fava beans and their slightly bitter and nutty flavor makes this dish a special one.
Even though this dish is called fava, the word ‘fava’ does not mean ‘fava beans’ in Turkish. Weird, I know! 
The Turkish word for fava beans is ‘bakla’ and all other dishes made with fava beans are called as ‘bakla’ dishes except this one. Fava is the Italian word for broad beans, and it is possible that this dish was borrowed from Italian Levantines living in Aegean coasts.
Most of Turkish mothers do not let their young sons eat this dish, because of G6DP deficiency, which is also known as “favism” . It is very common in Turkey and eating fava beans causes hematuria in the affected individuals. So, you might want to avoid this dish if you have the G6DP deficiency. 
Dried fava beans smell very weird and almost unpleasant while cooking. Once the cooking process is done, the smell goes away, but make sure that you cook them in a well aired kitchen.
Fava is served cold, and it actually sets while cooling. So do not worry if your newly cooked fava puree is soft, it will harden in the fridge. It is also a very good companion to Rakı, the national liquor of Turks.
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cup peeled and dried broad beans ( sold in Mediterranean/ Middle Eastern grocery stores)
- 1 small onion
- 1 bunch fresh dill
- 1 lemon juice
- Olive oil
- Salt
- Chopped dill, paprika and lemon slices to decorate.
Preperation
Soak fava beans at least 2-3 hrs prior to cooking. At the end of soaking period drain and place it in a saucepan. Add chopped onions and a bunch of dill into the saucepan, fill with water. The water level should be about an inch higher than the other ingredients in the pan. Bring to a boil, then simmer until the beans are very soft. Check the water level often, and add some water if needed or evaporate the excess. When the cooking is done, the beans should be all mushy have a porridge consistency. Take off the stove, let it cool 5 mins.
Fava, ready to cool in the fridge.
Put the bean mixture through blender. Blend till it is creamy in texture. Add olive oil, lemon juice salt and pepper. Add chopped fresh basil, mix well.
In order to prevent sticking, rinse a glass serving dish with cold water, drain but do not dry it with a towel. Pour the bean mixture into the serving dish. Let it cool some time then cover and let it set in the fridge for at least 4-5 hours.
To serve, take the dish out of the fridge, cut it into diamond shapes. Drizzle some olive oil over it. Decorate w/ fresh dill and paprika. Serve with lemon slices and olives.
