Bissara

Fava Bean Soup

YOU WILL LIKELY be offered breakfast in your Fez hotel or riad, but if you want to go thoroughly local, slip into a tiny street café for fava bean soup. Known as “man’s breakfast,” Bissara is hearty, warming and filling. We enjoyed the soup dolloped with mashed roasted garlic, a squeeze of lemon juice, and a sprinkling of hot chili powder.

Dried Fava Beans 500 g, soaked overnight in cold water

Olive Oil 2 Tbs

Garlic 2 cloves, chopped

Salt 1 Tbs

Cracked Black Pepper ½ Tbs

Cumin Powder 1 Tbs

Paprika 1 Tbs (optional)

Water 2L

Extra Virgin Olive Oil 3 Tbs

Garnish

Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Cumin Powder

Red Chili Pepper optional

Lemon juice from 1

Roasted Garlic Paste

1 DRAIN soaked fava beans, peel and clean them well.

2 COMBINE beans, garlic, oil, salt, spices and water in a pressure cooker, cover tightly and cook over medium heat for about an hour, or until beans are soft. If not using a pressure cooker, the beans will take longer to soften.

3 MASH beans with a wooden spoon or potato masher, and return to the cooker over low heat to thicken the soup.

4 LADLE soup into bowls, and garnish with olive oil, cumin, and optional red chili pepper. Squeeze lemon over top and add dollop of mashed roasted garlic mixed with oil and chili flakes if you wish.