One pound dried fava beans (often they are sold without skins)
3 or 4 cloves garlic
1 teaspoon cumin
Salt to taste
1 tablespoon or more lemon juice
3 or 4 tablespoons good olive oil —
Soak the fava beans overnight. Drain.
If they are not pre-skinned, cover favas with fresh water, boil for ten minutes, cool in fresh water, and squeeze the beans out of their skins.
Put favas in a pot with water to cover by an inch, add the garlic and cumin, bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer an hour or more until soft.
Remove from heat and mash lightly with a potato masher or the back of a spoon (or not if you prefer). Stir in the lemon juice, olive oil, and salt to taste.
Place the fava beans in a serving bowl surrounded with sliced hard-boiled eggs and offer pita bread.
Recipe submitted and adapted by our very own Culinary Historian, Eleanor.
