Food in Athens is different from what you’ll find in the Peloponnese, which is different from what you’ll find in Corfu, which is different from what you’ll find in Crete…and on and on! Even the Cycladic islands have their own special cuisine. There, fava is key.⁠
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Fava, or yellow split peas, it is one of the humblest ingredients in the Greek kitchen, something that was the food of sustenance on the poorest Greek islands, especially the Cycladic islands, where it is still something of a national dish. It has a long history in Greece generally, cultivated as early as 6000 BC and even sold by street vendors in a hot soup. Excavations at Akrotiri in Santorini show that the split pea plant has been growing on the island for over 3500 years! And today, Santorini is renowned for the quality of its fava.⁠
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This split pea is perfect in the classic fava dip, garnished with capers and onions (and made velvety with a copious amount of Greek olive oil), but this is far from the only preparation! It can be used as a stuffing for a special version of baked dolmades, where the grape leaves are stuffed with fava and tomatoes. You can use fava as a crust in a delicious, easy vegetarian pizza, or you can turn it into a simple and satisfying soup!

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