Black Eyed Peas 'Italia Dell' Occhio' / 'Black Eyed Pea'

This relative of the yardlong bean must be picked very young to be eaten pod and all. Especially famous and popular are the dry beans, which can be harvested from the mature pods; harvesting the seeds unripe (i.e., green) is also possible, it's much more work, but the taste is sublime. They certainly have a very distinct flavour and are known in cookbooks as black-eyed peas. The bite is firm and less mealy than its cousin the dry bean, which comes from a different genus. Originally, eating Black Eyed Peas was an Italian tradition that probably came to America through Italians. Now, eating them on January 1st is said to bring good luck in the US...
These eye beans are one of the few that originate from the so-called Old World; their origin lies in Africa and Asia, the ancient Greeks and Romans already ate them, and they were widely cultivated in the Middle Ages.
Of course, there are many reports claiming this is the healthiest bean available... partly due to a high content of Vitamins A and B, good fibre, Potassium, and Proteins.

Names:
Latin: Vigna unguiculata
Dutch: Zwartoogboontjes
Also: Oogboontjes
English: Black Eyed Bean / Pea