Chickpea Soup

Ingredients

• 500g Dried chickpeas, soaked in cold water overnight

• 1-2 Sticks of celery, finely chopped

• 1 Large onion, chopped

• 50mL Extra virgin olive oil

• 1 Lemon, juiced

• 2 tbsp Flat leaf parsley

• 1 Bay leaf

• 1 tsp Dried oregano

• Salt & pepper

Method

1. Heat olive oil into a pot, add the onion and saute until it starts to colour.

2. Meanwhile, drain the chickpeas, rinse them under cold water, and drain them again. Shake the colander or sieve to dry the chickpeas as much as possible, then add them to the pan. Turn them with a spatula for a few minutes to coat them well with oil.

3. Add celery and bay leaf, then pour in enough hot water to submerge the contents of the pot under about 4cm of water.

4. Bring to a boil and skim off any white froth that comes to the surface. Lower the heat, add some pepper, cover and cook for about 1-1 1/4 hour or until chickpeas are soft.

5. When chickpeas are soft, add the lemon juice and mix well. Add salt and pepper to taste and cover the pot and let it cook for a further 5-10 minutes more, stirring occasionally.

   TIP: To thicken the soup slightly, take out about two cups of the chickpeas and blend them. Ensure the chickpeas are broken up but remain slightly rough. Stir this into the soup and mix well.

6. Add parsley and oregano, then taste and adjust accordingly (it may need more lemon, salt and pepper).

7. Serve in a bowl and feel free to drizzle extra olive oil on top of the soup.

Serve with crunchy sourdough bread and enjoy xx