Syrian Chickpea Soup with Lemon and Tahini (NES)

By hmp13

Ingredients

• Homemade Toasted Pita Chips
• 8 whole pita bread rounds
• 2/3 cup olive oil
• 3 teaspoons garlic powder
• 3 teaspoons dried oregano
• 4 teaspoons salt
• 2 teaspoons pepper
• 2/3 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
• Soup
• 1 pound dried chickpeas
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 large onion, peeled and diced
• 2 carrots, peeled and sliced
• 3 ribs celery, diced
• 5 whole cloves garlic, peeled
• 3 quarts vegetable or chicken stock
• Juice and zest of 2 lemons
• 1/4 cup tahini
• 1 teaspoon dried mint leaves
• 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 1 teaspoon coriander
• 1 can (16 ounces) chickpeas, drained and rinsed
• 1 bunch scallions, minced
• Salt and pepper

Preparation

Step 1

For the pita chips: Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Using a sharp knife or carefully pulling with your hands, split each pita round in half horizontally, so you end up with two flat circles. Cut each circle into six triangles. Line two baking sheets with foil. Place the pita triangles on top, inside facing up. Using a pastry brush, brush the inside surface of each piece with olive oil. Sprinkle each with garlic powder, oregano, salt, pepper and cheese. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, or until lightly brown and crispy. Serve warm, or let cool and store in a reseal able plastic bag. Makes 10 to 12 servings.

For the soup: Place the dried chickpeas in a deep bowl and add water to cover by 2 inches. Place in the refrigerator and soak overnight. Drain before serving.

Heat a stockpot over medium-high heat. Add the olive oil, onion, carrots, celery and garlic. Sauté for 10 minutes. Add the soaked chickpeas and stock. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer until the chickpeas are soft and tender, 1 to 1 ¼ hours. Add the lemon juice, lemon zest, tahini, mint, red pepper flakes, and coriander. Puree the soup in the pot using a hand blender or working in batches with a regular blender until smooth. Add the canned chickpeas, scallions, salt and pepper. Stir to combine.