Both  fava beans and octopus are an important part of the Mediterranean diet. Fava or yellow split pea is also described as the gold of Greece. Split peas are high in proteins, low in fat and is a good source of natural fibers.
It is usually served with onion sauce in its simple edition and with octopus, mussels or other seafood when we want to present a richer and more complete dish.
The octopus recipe with the tomato and onion sauce presented here can also be served with mashed potatoes or rice.

INGREDIENTS:

for the fava mousse:

500 gr. fava beans

1 onion, sliced

5 tablespoons olive oil

2 tablespoons lemon juice

1 onion, grated

half teaspoon cumin powder

half teaspoon white pepper

and salt to taste

Add 5 glasses of water in a bigger pan. Add the washed fava beans together with the sliced onion. Simmer slowly, stirring from time to time, untilfava is cooked.  Add warm water if needed.
Leave the pot on the side to get cold.
In a skillet saute the grated onion with the olive oil. Add this to the pan with cooked fava, add the lemon juice, cumin, pepper, salt. Stir well and when fava is cold, blend it in a food processor or using a hand mixer, until it is smooth and fine mousse. Try to keep mousse warm until serving.

for the octopus:

1 kg. octopus, fresh or frozen

5 tablespoons red wine vinegar

3 onions, sliced

5 tablespoons olive oil

100 ml. red wine

200 ml. concasse  tomatoes

200 ml. blended tomatoes

3 cloves garlic

2 bay leaves, keep them in one part

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon powder

4 clove buds

4 allspice berries

black pepper and salt to taste

You can prepare the fava mousse first, or you can cook both fava and octopus at the same time.
Firstly clean and wash the octopus. Pour approximately one liter of fresh tab water in a bigger pan, add the vinegar, the octopus and simmer it for an hour. Leave it to get cold, then cut it on peaces.

Saute the onions with the olive oil, until they are soft and cooked, add the garlic cloves, the octopus, bay leaves, cinnamon, clove buds, allspice berries and grated black pepper.. Stir and add the red wine.

When wine has evaporated, add the tomato juice and concasse. Cover the pan and simmer for an hour at least, or until the octopus is tender and cooked, and the sauce is thick.

Serving:

Fish out the bay leaves from the pot before serving.
Place a spoon of fava mouse in the center of a plate, spread it evenly with a spoon, add some of the onion sauce and some peaces of the octopus.
and most importantly:  Enjoy!