Andalusian Chick Pea Soup

• 1 cup chickpeas, washed, picked over and soaked for 4 hours or overnight in 1 quart water
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 14-ounce can chopped tomatoes with juice, or 1 pound tomatoes, peeled, seeded and chopped
• 2 teaspoons sweet paprika
• 1 pound potatoes, peeled and diced
• 1/4 cup dry white wine
• Salt to taste
• Pinch of saffron
• 1 pound spinach , stemmed, washed thoroughly in 2 changes of water, and coarsely chopped
• Freshly ground pepper

1. 1. Drain the chickpeas and combine with 1 quart fresh water in a large saucepan. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat, cover and simmer 1 hour. Add salt to taste and continue to simmer until tender, 30 minutes to an hour.
2. 2. Heat the oil over medium heat in a heavy soup pot and add the onion. Cook, stirring, until tender, about 5 minutes. Add 2 of the garlic cloves and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the tomatoes, paprika and a generous pinch of salt and cook, stirring often, until the tomatoes cook down to a fragrant sauce, 10 to 15 minutes.
3. 3. Add the chickpeas with their liquid, the potatoes, wine, more salt to taste, pepper, and 2 cups water. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to low and cook until the potatoes are tender, about 30 minutes.
4. 4. Stir in the remaining garlic, the saffron and the spinach and simmer another 5 minutes. Add freshly ground pepper, taste and adjust seasoning, and serve.
5. Variations: You can add toasted bread, plain or doused with vinegar, when you add the spinach, for a thicker soup.
6. Yield: 6 servings.
7. Advance preparation: You can make this through Step 3 up to a day ahead. You might want to hold off adding the spinach until you reheat, if you want it to have a nice color. Bring the soup to a simmer and proceed with Step 4.

chickpeas, extra virgin olive oil, onion, garlic, tomatoes, sweet paprika, potatoes, white wine, salt, saffron, spinach, freshly ground pepper

Taken from www.epicurious.com/recipes/member/views/andalusian-chick-pea-soup-52871621 (may not work)