Cultivating split peas on Santorini and Schinousa
The more you learn about split peas – known as «fava» in Greek – and the way they are produced, the more fascinating they are, especially when you find out that the same methods have been in use for 3,500 years. The earliest record of the word fava comes from a tragedy by Aeschylus (6th-5th century BC). Later, Dioscurides, the famed doctor of antiquity, linked the word with the food we know. The inhabitants of Santorini and Schinousa both claim that their split peas are the best and most flavorful. The Rural Cooperative of Thera and the Agricultural University of Athens have applied to the European Commission to have fava recognized as a Protected Designation of Origin. The people of Schinousa insist that their variety is sweeter. The harvest always takes place early, when the ground is still moist, to protect the crop. In the fall, the farmers plow the fields in a traditional style, though some now use tractors. Christos Nomikos is one of the few we met who use the wooden plow mentioned by Hesiod. Seed is sown in December. On Santorini, many still sow on December 21, the feast day of St Eleousa. Fava grows easily in soil that is dry, sandy and normally infertile. The seeds sprout in about 20 days, depending on the south wind, which brings the rain. As in the past, the crop is planted every second year. As horticulturalist Markos Kafrousos explained: «Crop rotation stops the land from becoming depleted. It also deters insects and bacteria.» The plant flowers in April and the pea starts to form. This is the most crucial phase, when rain is essential. Two or three people can thresh and winnow a harvest of five tons. When the weather is right and the wind has taken away the straw, leaving the split peas, the harvest begins. The fava is threshed on stone mills identical to those used in antiquity. The workers do not talk, but concentrate on getting the job done in favorable weather conditions. It is like a ritual. Mimika Kringa, a scholar of prehistoric archaeology, tells us about samples of fava found in vases in the West House at Akrotiri, and the conversation turns to dietary habits down the ages. There is a lovely chapel dedicated to St Epifanios in Akrotiri. On May 13, the saint’s name day, locals cook fava and share it out at the feast, served with sardines. The island’s chefs have conferred gourmet status on fava. «Such a humble and neutral ingredient is bound to intrigue any cook,» said well-known Santorini chef Nikos Pouliasis. His collegue Giorgos Hadziyiannakis is delighted every time he creates a new dish – even desserts – using fava. Their efforts have paid off. On Santorini the demand for fava now exceeds supply. Similarly on Schinousa, Evdokia Despotidou and Dimitris Papadakis take a creative approach to cooking fava. This article first appeared in Kathimerini’s Sunday supplement K on September 16, 2007.
