Minestra Di Piselli (Green Pea Soup)

Submitted by bluemoon downunder

"A fabulous and visually stunning, lemon-flavoured pea soup with a wonderful texture – part blended/part chunky. I found this scrumptious recipe in the first edition - September 2005 - of the new Australian magazine 'Notebook: ideas for living'. It was part of an article on peas and beans. The only changes I have made to the recipe was to use more garlic (the original recipe had 2 cloves of garlic) and to add one leek. I have also posted a recipe for Byessar (Moroccan Broad Bean Dip) Recipe #135158, from the same magazine."

 

• Ready In: 35mins
• Ingredients: 11
• Serves: 4

ingredients

• 1 1⁄4 kg peas, in the pod (4 cups shelled, frozen peas offer a quicker alternative)
• 1⁄4 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 2 onions, finely chopped
• 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 1 leek, thoroughly washed and thinly sliced
• 1 celery heart, finely chopped
• 100 g piece pancetta, finely chopped
• 1⁄2 cup mint leaf, finely chopped
• 1⁄2 lemon, juice and zest of, finely grated
• salt, to taste
• fresh ground black pepper, to taste

directions

1. Remove the peas from the pods.
2. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large, heavy-based pan over a medium-high heat, and add the onions, garlic, leek, celery and pancetta; and sauté, stirring occasionally, for 6 minutes or until the vegetables have softened.
3. Add 3 cups of water, bring to the boil and add the peas. Cook for 6-8 minutes or until tender.
4. Meanwhile, combine the mint with the remaining oil, lemon juice and zest.
5. Transfer 2 cups of soup to a food processor or blender, and process until smooth; then stir the processed mixture back into the soup, and bring the soup back to the simmer.
6. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste.
7. Remove the soup from the heat, stir in the mint mixture, ladle into soup bowls and serve with warm, crusty rolls.
8. Note: Pancetta is available from butchers and delicatessens in flat and round forms. For this recipe, choose a flat variety that isn't too fatty.

Reviews

[duonyte]

I liked this but SO would not eat it after the first spoonful - the texture bothered him. It really is a lovely color. I also pureed the entire amount, but it did not get as smooth as other soups do. I also added some chicken broth as it needed more liquid, and used a little more onion as I had no leek. The lemon and mint is a neat little touch, and I'll probably make this again when it's just me for supper.

 

[Chef Kate]

This is a very pretty, very green soup with a very sweet flavor. I pureed as directed and did not care for the partially smooth effect and the soup was much too thick. I pureed it all with an immersion blender. The result was really a beautiful puree. I ladled some out and combined it with additional liquid (chicken stock and water in equal amounts) until it was a nice thick soup. It retained its lovely green color and was beautiful served with a squiggle of sour cream and some mint leaves for garnish. I have frozen the rest as a base for four more portions of pea soup.