Greek Revithia Soup

Ingredients

• 1 cup dried chickpeas soaked 12-18 hours
• 1 onion, chopped into pieces about 1/4 inch
• 1 T + 3 T olive oil
• 1 tsp. dried Greek oregano
• 1 tsp. dried parsley
• 8 cups water
• 1 tsp. salt, or a bit more
• Fresh ground black pepper to taste
• 1/4 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice

Directions

1. Sort through the dried chickpeas, pulling out any small stones or stray bits. Put the beans in a pan, cover them with cold water, and leave them to soak 12-18 hours. Starting the soak at bedtime and cooking the soup the next mid afternoon is a simple way to make the long soak feel manageable. When you are ready to cook, drain the chickpeas and pour off the soaking liquid.
2. Warm the olive oil in a heavy soup pot or dutch oven. Add the onion and cook for about 5 minutes, until it has softened but has not browned.
3. Add the Greek oregano, parsley, and water. Bring everything to a simmer, then turn down the heat, cover the pan, and let it bubble gently until the beans are very soft. The timing depends on how fresh the beans are, but expect about 2-3 hours.
4. When the chickpeas are soft, puree the soup with an immersion blender or in a blender until everything is completely blended. If you use a regular blender, be careful not to fill it too high, since hot liquid can splash and burn you.
5. Once the soup is pureed, season it with Vege-sal and fresh ground black pepper to taste.
6. Stir in the lemon juice and 2 T of the olive oil.
7. Serve the soup hot, with a little more olive oil drizzled over each serving.