eat; fakas

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I am soooo feeling for all my friends in the Northern Hemisphere who are starting to experience the onset of winter. Oh dear, no thanks! We actually had a very cold weekend just gone by and it made me want to quit the salads I've been making and get onto what I imagine to be my last attempt at soup for quite a few months...well, maybe a good cold gazpacho will come out in the heat of mid summer! Today's post will be such a great one for all of you about to hit those upcoming cold months. This soup takes a while to cook on the stove and will warm up the house while doing so! It freezes well, which means a big pot of it will not go to waste! Love that!

Fakas is a Greek Lentil soup and one I have had many times at my friends mums house. She also makes a great chickpea soup which I will have to get my hands on the recipe soon for you all. Enjoy making this soup. Preparation is easy and watching this soup thicken up into a hearty meal is such fun between Facebook updates and checking your emails! LOL!

  

What you need;

1 1/2 cups brown lentils

1 large carrot

1 med onion

2 cloves garlic, crushed

2 Tbls olive oil

2 Bay leaves

1 tsp dried oregano

1 tsp dried rosemary

1 litre water

1 Tbls tomato paste

salt and pepper to taste

Start by soaking the lentils for at least six hours, overnight will be fine. Rinse and set aside as you chop the other ingredients. Crush the galic, chop the carrots into tiny cubes and ditto with the onions.

Pour the oil into your pot and when hot, add the garlic, carrot and onion and cook until the onion becomes transparent. Add the lentils, bay leaves, oregano and rosemary. Add the water and bring to the boil. Turn the flame down to simmer for about an hour.

Time to check your Facebook news feed! The soup only needs the occasional stir and may need a little more water. Once the hour is up, add the tomato paste, salt and pepper to taste and cook for a further 10 minutes. The great thing about this soup is that you cannot overcook it. The longer it cooks, the creamier it will become.

Vola! Soup is made! Buon Appetito!

I like to serve this soup with a yummy bread that is toasted, drizzled with olive oil and rubbed with a clove of garlic. YUM!

Another handy hint is to freeze the remainder of the tomato paste. To do this, measure out a tablespoon onto a chopping board covered in cling wrap and then freeze on the board. Once frozen, wrap each portion with cling wrap and place into a container. No more moldy jars of tomato paste in the refrigerator!