How to cook: Fava (purée of yellow split peas)

2 cups yellow split peas
5 cups water
1 bunch spring onions, sliced
olive oil
salt & pepper
black olives for garnish

Clean peas and place in a heavy stockpot with water. Bring to a boil and stir occasionally, for 10 minutes. Remove from heat and allow the peas to steep for one hour. Drain, then return to the pot with fresh water just to cover, salt & pepper. Simmer over low heat, stirring occasionally until soft and most of the water is absorbed (about 1 hour). Remove from heat and allow to cool. At this point, you can just put the peas in the fridge until you're ready to use them, or purée them in a food processor (or through a ricer, as our local chef, Agyro does). It depends on the texture you want. The purée also becomes thicker under refrigeration. At service, just mix with a little olive oil, minced onions, salt and pepper. Parsley or capers and black olives make a nice garnish.

Chick peas or the big "fava" beans are also prepared in the same manner
here in Crete -- try it and let me know!