Fava Bean and Chickpea Salad with Pita Points

A very traditional Middle Eastern dish that I fell in love with on first taste. Simple, elegant and make-your-knees-buckle yummy, this simple bean salad is packed with protein and rich enough to satisfy any taste. For luncheons or on a buffet, this will become a fixed item in your repertoire.

Serving Quantity 5-6

Ingredient List:

• ½ cup dried fava beans, rinsed well
• ½ cup dried chickpeas, rinsed well
• spring or filtered water
• 2 bay leaves
• ½ red onion, finely diced
• 2-3 sprigs fresh parsley
• sea salt
• black pepper
• extra virgin olive oil
• juice of 1 lemon
• 8 ounces homemade or store-bought hummus
• paprika

Step By Step Instructions:

Place fava beans in a small saucepan with 2 cups spring or filtered water. Place chickpeas in a small saucepan with 2 cups spring or filtered water. Drop a bay leaf into each pot and bring both to a boil, uncovered, over medium heat. Boil, uncovered, for 5 minutes. Cover, reduce heat to low and cook until beans are just tender, about an hour. Remove bay leaves and drain away any remaining liquid. Transfer fava beans and chickpeas to a mixing bowl. Stir in red onion, parsley, salt and pepper to taste, a generous drizzle of oil and lemon juice. Gently mix to combine.

Spread hummus evenly over a flat plate. Mound fava bean and chickpea mixture onto the center of the hummus. Sprinkle lightly with paprika and drizzle hummus “rim” with olive oil.

Cut 3-4 whole wheat pita breads into 8 triangular wedges and place in a basket. Eat salad with pita points.