This Turkish fava is a smooth purée made from dried broad beans simmered until tender. Once chilled, it firms up enough to cut into wedges. Dill, lemon and olive oil offer a fresh counterpoint to the beans’ rich flavour.
Turkish fava is made with dried broad beans, not the fresh green beans often sold as broad beans. Dried beans make a soft, creamy purée with an earthy, slightly nutty flavour. You can find them whole or split, and sometimes already peeled; split or peeled beans generally cook faster. Rinse them well and soak them beforehand so they soften more evenly. In warm weather, soak them in the fridge.
The onion simmers with the beans and is then puréed along with them. This gives the purée a mild, savoury base without any pieces of onion in it. Let the beans simmer gently until they are almost falling apart; the exact time depends on their age and size. Add a little hot water if the pan looks like it might boil dry. A stick blender makes the mixture smooth, but don’t purée it too soon: firm beans make grainy fava.
Olive oil gives the purée a silky mouthfeel and rounds out the flavour of the beans. A little sugar is common in some versions and softens the earthy notes; keep the amount modest so the dish doesn’t taste sweet. The purée can look a little looser in the pan than you want it to be in the end. It firms up as it chills and becomes firm enough to cut into wedges. Smooth it out in a shallow dish before chilling so the slices will be an even thickness.
Serve the fava cold or well chilled, cut into wedges and topped with lemon juice, fresh dill and a drizzle of olive oil. The lemon adds acidity, the dill brings fresh herbal notes, and the oil ties everything together with the rich beans. Serve with bread and put it on the table as part of a meze spread or as a starter. Small bowls of olives or other fresh meze go well alongside, but keep the accompaniments simple so the beans remain the focus.
Dried beans are available all year round; dill is often easiest to find in spring and summer, but greenhouse-grown dill works too. Once the fava has set, keep it covered in the fridge and use it within two to three days. Take only as much out of the fridge as you want to serve, and add the lemon and dill just before serving. Dried chickpeas are not a direct substitute: they have a different flavour and texture, so the dish would no longer be the same fava.
Rinse the dried broad beans and soak them in plenty of cold water for at least 8 hours or overnight. Drain and rinse again.
Put the beans, onion and 900 ml fresh water in a pan. Bring to the boil, then simmer gently with the lid partly on until the beans are completely tender and fall apart easily, 45–60 minutes. Stir occasionally and add a little hot water if needed.
Blend the beans and onion with a stick blender until smooth. Stir in 60 ml olive oil, the sugar and salt. Taste and add a little more salt if needed.
Spoon the purée into a shallow dish and smooth the top. Leave to cool, cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours to set.
Cut the fava into wedges and arrange on a serving plate. Drizzle with the remaining olive oil, scatter the dill over the top and serve with lemon wedges for squeezing.
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