Ingredients
- 1 1/2c (about 8 oz. or 200 g) dried fava beans
- 2 cloves garlic1/3 cup olive oil
- 1/4c lemon juice
- 2T (or more) reserved cooking liquid
- 1 1/2t salt
- 1t ground cumin
- 1/2t sweet paprika
- 1/2t hot paprika or cayenne pepper
- additional cumin, paprika and olive oil, for garnish
- chopped parsley or cilantro, for garnish (optional)
Directions
Soak the dried fava beans overnight in a large bowlful of water. The next day, drain the beans and peel them if they weren’t already skinned and split.Place the peeled fava beans in a pot and cover with a generous amount of water. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat to medium or medium-high, and simmer the beans until tender, one hour or longer.
Drain the beans, reserving the liquid. Transfer the beans to a food processor, and add the garlic, olive oil, lemon juice, 2 tablespoons of the reserved liquid, and spices. Process on high speed until smooth, adding additional liquid if necessary to thin the bessara. It should be thin enough to pour or spread out on a plate. Taste the bessara, and adjust the seasoning if desired.
Reheat the bessara and serve warm. Garnish with any of the following: ground cumin, paprika, hot paprika, olive oil, and chopped parsley.