In the peak of tomato season this summer, our friends Sami and Lorraine invited us over for a typical Egyptian breakfast in which they served Ful Medames, a flavorful, lemony fava bean dish decorated with hard boiled eggs and tomatoes. Sami has fond memories of this dish from his native Egypt, and calls it “ful” for short. Although the flavors are complex, this recipe is actually quite simple to make, especially if you start with canned beans.
Ful Medames (Egyptian breakfast)
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Brunch
- Cuisine: Egyptian
Description
Serve this beautiful bean dish for breakfast, brunch, or anytime! Wait until tomatoes are fresh and in season to attempt this special dish.
Ingredients
Scale
- 3 cups cooked fava beans
- 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin powder
- pinch cayenne pepper
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
- a few grinds of freshly ground black pepper
- 2 hard-boiled eggs, chopped
- 2 ripe tomatoes, seeded and chopped
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, for garnish
Instructions
- If using canned fava beans, drain beans and place them in a saucepan with enough water to cover by about one inch. Cook over medium heat until beans are tender, about 8-10 minutes. If beans are unsalted, add 1/2 teaspoon of sea salt to the water while simmering. Stir beans until they begin to break up or mash a little. If using homemade fava beans, salt to taste after beans have become soft, and simmer in cooking liquid until liquid has almost completely evaporated.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together lemon juice, olive oil, cumin, cayenne, garlic, salt, and pepper.
- Drain beans of any remaining cooking liquid and add to bowl with dressing. Toss to coat. Taste for seasonings and add extra salt or pepper if needed.
- On one large serving platter or on individual plates, plate the fava beans and top with hard-boiled eggs, tomatoes, and parsley. Drizzle with a little olive oil, if desired.
- Serve with fresh pita bread or whole grain chips.
