Bigilla (Maltese bean dip)

This bean paste is very common in Malta. It is served by restaurants and bars as appetizer and it is also found ready made in supermarkets. The tic beans are called ‘Ful ta’ Ġirba’ in Maltese. They are similar to fava beans but smaller. See picture below.

Bigilla (Maltese Bean Dip)
2013-10-22 09:56:18
Serves 5
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Prep Time
10 min
Cook Time
1 min
Total Time
1 hr 10 min
Ingredients
- 200g dried tic beans
- 3 cloves garlic
- 2 fresh chillies
- 6 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 tablespoons water
- fresh parsley
Instructions
- Pre-soak the beans in water a day before. Rinse 3 or 4 times while they are soaking in water to clear the water as much as possible.
- When ready to cook, remove the beans from soaking water and rinse.
- Boil the beans in a pan for about an hour stirring from time to time.
- When beans are softened, remove from heat and let stand for a few minutes.
- Rinse under some running water and remove excess water.
- In a blender first blend the garlic, chilly and parsley to make sure they are finely chopped.
- Add the tic beans and remaining ingredients to the blender and blend until a paste is formed.
- Serve with raw crudites or olive oil crackers
Rody's Hearty Corner http://www.rodysheartycorner.com/
Can you please let me know from where I can buy Girba beans.
Thanks
Hello. All supermarkets have it in Malta. Most grocers and vegetable shops have it too. If you are not living in Malta it might be harder to find. In that case you can easilly replace girba beans with fava beans, though you must know it’s not the same.