Chick pea and vegetable soup

6 servings

Quantity Ingredient
⅓ pounds Dried chick peas
4 tablespoons Olive oil
1 Onion, chopped
2 Ribs celery, diced
2 Carrots, diced
1 Leek, white and pale green parts, thinly sliced
2 Cloves garlic, chopped
2 cups Shredded cabbage
1½ cup Canned Italian plum tomatoes, chopped with their juice
2 teaspoons Tomato paste
7 cups Chicken broth
1 Zucchini, chopped
⅓ cup Elbow macaroni
Salt
Freshly-ground pepper

Soak the chick peas overnight in plenty of cold water; the next day drain the chick peas and rinse under cold water. Set aside. Place the oil and onion in a soup kettle, set over low heat and cook slowly until the onion has softened, about 5 minutes. Increase the heat to medium, add the celery and stir-cook for 1 minute. Add the carots and stir-cook for 1 minute; add the leek and stir-cook for 1 minute.

Add the garlic and cabbage, stir, cover the pot and cook for 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes, tomato paste, and broth. Dump in the chick peas. Bring the soup base to a boil; boil for 3 minutes.

Cover and simmer for 1½ to 2 hours, or until chick peas are completely tender. (The soup may be prepared in advance to this point.)

To finish the soup, add the zucchini and elbow macaroni to the simmering soup. Cover and continue to simmer for 12 minutes, or until the macaroni is al dente and the zucchini is cooked through.

Season with salt and freshly-ground pepper to taste. Ladle the soup into warm bowls and serve piping hot.

Makes 6 servings.

[WASHINGTON POST JAN 11, 1989] Posted by Fred Peters.

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