Classic Greek Chickpea Soup (revithosoupa)

Step 1

Place the chickpeas in a bowl with a sprinkle of salt. Cover by double the amount of water and let them soak overnight. In the morning, drain them and wash them well.

Step 2

Prepare the vegetables: chop the onion, carrots and celery and mince the garlic.

Step 3

In a medium pot, sauté the vegetables with ¼ cup of olive oil for a few minutes. Stir in the chickpeas and sauté for just a couple of minutes more.

Step 4

Add the hot stock, the bay leaves, the rosemary, and the thyme. Bring to a boil, reduce to a medium-low heat, partially cover the pot, and cook for about half an hour. The cooking time will depend on the quality of the chickpeas. If necessary, cook them a little longer until tender. Add more hot liquid (stock or water) if necessary.

Step 5

Remove two ladles of soup with some of the broth and place in a small food processor or blender. Blend until smooth. Stir back into the pot with the rest of the soup.

Step 6

Remove from the heat, stir in the lemon zest and juice, the salt and pepper, and the honey (if using).

Step 7

Top with extra olive oil, dill, and freshly ground black pepper. Serve with extra lemon slices.