By Florence Fabricant



Fava Bean Dip

Yield: 6 servings

•   1½ cups dried fava beans
•   4 cloves garlic
•   2 scallions, coarsely chopped
•   2 Tablespoons cilantro, coarsely chopped
•   2 Tablespoons fresh mint, coarsely chopped
•   1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
•   1½ teaspoons ground cumin
•   1½ teaspoons hot paprika
•   ¼ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
•   Toasted pita, cut into thin wedges
•   Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Place the fava beans in a bowl, cover them with water to a depth of 2 inches, and allow them to soak overnight. The next day, drain the beans and peel off the skins. Place the beans in a saucepan, cover them with cold water to a depth of 2 inches, and simmer, partially covered, until the beans are very tender, about 1½ hours. Drain.

Turn on a food processor. With the machine running, drop in the garlic, scallions, cilantro and mint and process until finely minced. Remove 2 tablespoons of this mixture and set aside.

Add the beans, ¼ cup of the olive oil, the cumin, paprika and lemon juice to the food processor and process until smooth. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Place the purée in a shallow dish and drizzle with the remaining olive oil. Sprinkle the reserved herb and garlic mixture on top and serve with pita bread for dipping.