Meze Atlas, Cooked in olive oil

Fava

/FA·va/

Silky purée of dried broad beans, set, sliced and served plain or tekmilli

Our chef's recipe, coming soon. This is the classic version, as it is made on most meyhane tables.

Ingredients

• 250 gdried split broad beans (skinless)
• 1onion, chopped
• 100 mlolive oil, plus extra to serve
• 1 tspsugar
• 1½ tspsalt
• 750 mlwater
• ½ bunchdill, chopped

Method

1. Soak the beans overnight in cold water, then drain and rinse.
2. Cook the onion gently in 3 tbsp of the oil for 5 minutes. Add the beans and the water and bring to the boil, skimming off the foam.
3. Simmer on low heat, stirring now and then, for 45 to 50 minutes until the beans collapse completely.
4. Add the sugar, salt and remaining oil and blend until very smooth.
5. Pour into a lightly oiled dish or bowl, cool, then cover and chill for at least 4 hours or overnight until set.
6. Turn out and slice. Serve it tekmilsiz, with olive oil and dill, or tekmilli, with the topping below.

Tekmilli or tekmilsiz

Tekmil is the topping spooned over the fava just before it goes to the table. Tekmilsiz fava is plain, finished with olive oil and dill. Tekmilli fava gets the full dressing below, which makes it sharper and more filling.

• 1small red onion, sliced paper thin
• ½ bunchdill, chopped
• ½ tsppul biber (Aleppo-style chilli flakes)
• 1 tbsplemon juice
• 3 tbspolive oil
• 1 pinchsalt

1. Rub the onion with the salt for a minute to soften it.
2. Mix in the dill, pul biber, lemon juice and olive oil.
3. Spoon over the sliced fava and serve straight away.