Posted by silviascucina on November 21, 2018

Pea & Pancetta Soup (with crispy potato skins)

Serves 4

INGREDIENTS

2 small brown onion, peeled and roughly chopped

2 garlic cloves, peeled and bashed with the palm of your hand

1/2 celery sticks, roughly chopped

2 medium sized potatoes, peeled and roughly chopped (keep the peel for roasting)

2 tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil (plus a few extra for the potato skins)

thyme leaves, to your liking

left over rind of parmesan (optional)

500 gr of frozen peas

salt and pepper for seasoning

8 thin pancetta slices (2 x person)

pea tendrils for serving (optional)

 

METHOD

1. Heat up the oil in a medium pot, add onion, garlic, celery, potatoes and thyme leaves and cook over medium heat for 3-4 minutes. Add rind and cover with water. Bring to a simmer and turn the heat to low. Cook for 20 minutes or until all the veggies are soft.

2. Add the peas and cook for a further 5 minutes. Remove rind. Puree using an immersion blender. Taste for seasoning and adjust to your liking. Set aside.

3. While the soup is cooking, place the potato skins in an oven tray lined with baking paper, toss with a little extra-virgin olive oil and salt. Arrange pancetta slices on the same tray, if there’ s room, or in a separate one, lined with baking paper. Bake at 200. Cook for 20-25 minutes, or until crispy. The pancetta will take less to bake, so remove it from the tray and set aside. Bake the potato skins for another 5 minutes or until crispy. Add herbs, if liked.

4. Serve the soup in a bowl, top with black pepper, pea tendrils (optional), a few pancetta slices and serve with crispy potato skins