St Joseph Chickpea Soup (April)

6-8 servings

from Soups from a Monastery Kitchen by Brother Victoire-Antoine. Arcadia pub 1996

Ingredients:
300g chickpeas
2.4l water
300g tinned tomatoes
1 large onion, chopped
1 stalk celery, minced
2 carrots, sliced
4 cloves of garlic, minced
1 red pepper, diced
4 tablespoons olive oil
salt and pepper to taste

Method:
1. Soak chickpeas overnight. Boil in plenty of water. Add all the remaining ingredients and cook slowly over medium heat for about an hour, until the chickpeas are cooked and the veg is tender. 
2. Season to taste, simmer - covered - for about 15 min. Remove the bay leaf before serving. 
3. Serve hot.