Pea soup Slask

Ingredients for 5 servings:

• 300 g peas, peeled, yellow
• 300 g smoked bacon, e.g. Gelderland belly bacon or smoked tofu for vegans
• 2 stalks celery
• 2 onions
• 1 large pointed pepper
• 6 small potatoes
• 2 tbsp savory
• 1 tbsp marjoram
• 4 bay leaves
• 2 cloves garlic
• salt and pepper
• 1 ½ liters of water
• n. B. Seasoning, e.g. Vegata, Maggi or stock powder to taste
• 5 sausages (cheese sausage)

Instructions

Working time approx. 45 minutes; Rest time approx. 6 hours; Cooking/baking time approx. 1 hour 15 minutes; Total time approx. 8 hours

Grandma’s pea soup from the good old days

Place the weighed peas in a large bowl and pour water over them; the peas must be well covered. Soak for at least 6 hours, preferably overnight. Finely dice the bacon. If necessary, remove the rind first and cook separately. Vegetarians can substitute tofu and add a little vegetable oil to taste. Place the bacon in a large pot over low heat to render some of the fat. Chop the onions and add them. After about 20 minutes, mix gently and increase the heat slightly. Sauté the onions for about 5-10 minutes until translucent; they should become noticeably fatty. In the meantime, wash and trim the celery, then dice it. Wash the bell peppers, remove the seeds, and cut them into fine strips. Wash and peel the potatoes, but do not dice them too coarsely. Pour about 500 ml of the pea soaking water over the bacon and onions. Add the bay leaves and bring to a boil. Add the peas, add water if necessary to cover them, and simmer for about 15 minutes. Add the celery and potatoes, fold in, and add a little more water if necessary. Add the savory and marjoram and simmer gently for another 15 minutes. Add the strips of bell pepper; these may color the red peppers slightly. Chop the garlic and add them. Pierce the Käsekrainer (cheese sausage), add them, and simmer for another 15 minutes. Season with salt, pepper, and a little seasoning (Vegata, Maggi, stock cube) to taste. Notes: Because peas are high in protein, a light foam will initially form during cooking. This can be skimmed off, but should not be. The amount of water depends on evaporation and the desired consistency of the soup.