This nourishing garbanzo bean soup recipe combines spicy heat and warming earthiness with garbanzo beans, fresh herbs and garlic - a healthy family meal.
Serves 6
INGREDIENTS:
8 oz. garbanzo beans
4 spicy Italian sausages, thickly sliced
6 cups water
1 large onion, finely chopped
1 celery stick, thinly sliced
1 red pepper, deseeded and diced
2 oz. dried macaroni
2 tbsp. fresh garden herbs, finely chopped (chervil, parsley, chives, rosemary, basil, oregano and thyme)
1 large bay leaf
1 large clove elephant garlic, crushed
3 tbsp. tomato paste
2 tsp. salt
3 tsp. coarsely ground black pepper
Mozzarella cheese, grated to serve
METHOD:
Bring water to a boil in a deep pan. Add beans, Italian sausages, onion, celery, red pepper, garden herbs, bay leaf, elephant garlic, salt and black pepper. Boil rapidly for 15 minutes until frothy. Remove froth with a spoon and discard.
Reduce heat and simmer for 1 hour and add macaroni and tomato paste. Cook for another hour. Serve red hot, garnished with Mozzarella cheese. Accompany with Italian olive bread.
