Year of the Bean

I’ll have a further write-up about the Year of the Bean but for now: more new beans! Small fava beans this time, from Damascus Bakery, and a riff on a very basic ful recipe from Yotam Ottolenghi’s Plenty.

Ingredients

• 300g dried small fava beans
• 160 mL olive oil
• 160 mL lemon juice
• 1 Tbsp. ground cumin
• 1 tsp. Aleppo pepper
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tsp. Kosher salt
• 2000 mL water

Procedure

1. Add beans, olive oil, cumin, pepper, and garlic to a large pot and cover with water
2. Raise to a steady medium simmer and cook for about three hours, adding water as needed; the beans will be ready when they mash easily
3. When beans are done and liquid is mostly absorbed and cooked off, remove from heat, add lemon juice and salt (and a bit more olive oil for texture), and mix well
4. Serve with hot pita as an appetizer or part of a larger spread!