Chickpea, Tomato and Bread Soup

== Description ==
This recipe is from Yotam Ottolenghi's vegetarian cookbook "Plenty". It was published in guardian.co.uk
* Serves four to six.
== Ingredients ==
* 1 large onion, sliced
* 1 medium fennel bulb, sliced
* 5 Tbsp olive oil plus more for drizzle over finished soup
* 1 large carrot, peeled, cut in half lengthways and sliced
* 3 celery sticks, sliced
* 1 tbsp tomato paste
* 1 cup white wine
* 14oz tinned Italian plum tomatoes
* 1 tbsp chopped fresh oregano or 1 1/2 tsp dry
* 2 tbsp chopped parsley
* 1 tbsp thyme leaves
* 2 bay leaves
* 2 tsp caster sugar (or super fine sugar)
* 1 qt vegetable stock
* salt and black pepper
* 160 g stale sourdough bread (crust removed)
* 14oz cooked chickpeas (canned are fine)
* 4 tbsp basil pesto (ideally homemade)
* 1 handful shredded basil leaves
== Directions ==
# Heat the oven to 350°F.
# Put the onion and fennel in a large pan, add three tablespoons of oil and sauté over medium heat for four minutes.
# Add the carrot and celery, and soften, stirring occasionally, for four minutes.
# Add the tomato purée, stir for a minute, then add the wine and let it bubble for a minute or two.
# Add the tomatoes, herbs, sugar and stock, and season.
# Bring to a boil, cover and simmer gently for 30 minutes.
# Meanwhile, break the bread into medium-size chunks, toss with two tablespoons of oil and some salt, and scatter in a roasting tin.
# Bake for 10 minutes, until thoroughly dry, then set aside.
# About 10 minutes before you want to serve, put the chickpeas in a bowl and crush them a little with a potato masher or the end of a rolling pin; you want some to be left whole.
# Add the chickpeas to the soup and simmer for five minutes.
# Next add the toasted bread, stir and cook for another five minutes.
# Taste the soup and add salt and pepper liberally.
# Ladle the hot soup into bowls.
# Spoon some pesto in the centre, drizzle with olive oil and finish with shredded basil, if you like.
Category:Side_Dish_Recipes