Pia's Garbanzo Bean Soup

A few weeks ago we had a heavenly garbanzo bean soup in a small café in Fallbrook. I tried to recreate the same soup. I did not achieve this but created another really delicious soup. Very satisfying on an empty stomach.

Serves:
6
Prep time:
30 minutes
Cook time:
40 minutes
Recipe Category
Cuisine
Ingredients
1 cup dried garbanzo beans
1 bay leaf
1 1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds
1 big onion, chopped
4-6 garlic cloves, minced
1 medium zucchini, or gooseneck squash, sliced
2 big tomatoes, peeled and chopped
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 cup red wine
2-4 tablespoon vegetable or chicken broth powder
Instructions
Soak garbanzo beans overnight, then rinse. Alternatively, bring garbanzo beans with plenty of water to a boil, let them stand for about half an hour to an hour, then rinse.
Cook the garbanzo beans with 5 cups of water, 1 bay leaf, and fennel seeds until tender. This takes about 20-30 minutes.
In a sauté pan, sauté onion and garlic cloves for 5 minutes.
Add zucchini or squash and sauté for another 3 minutes.
Add tomatoes and sauté for another 3 minutes.
Bring heat to high, then add the wine and let it sizzle for a minute. Then bring heat to medium and add the spices (salt, pepper, thyme, oregano).
Combine the sautéed veggies with the cooked garbanzo beans and add vegetable or chicken broth powder and another 4-5 cups water. Cook for about half an hour.
Purée with a blender and serve.
Slightly cut the tomatoes crosswise across the skin, then bring into boiling water for a minute. Take them out, let them cool down for a bit, and then peel off the skin.

To peel tomatoes, slightly cut the tomatoes crosswise across the skin and then bring into boiling water for a minute. Take them out, let them cool down for a bit and then peel of the skin.

The soaking overnight can be side stepped by bringing the garbanzo beans with plenty of water to a boil. Let them stand for about a half to a hour. Rinse and then cook garbanzo beans like described above.