Greek bean soup

Fassolatha

By: Pam Talimanidis
From: A la Grecque
Serves: 6
Photographer: Mark Roper

This soup is a classic staple in the Greek diet, both in summer and winter. The beans are grown during the summer, and collected and dried in the sun to last through winter. In the summer fassolatha is eaten at room temperature, and served with salty side dishes such as ranga (smoked and dried mackerel), anchovies, olives or feta and a few spring onions for crunch. In the winter, a steaming bowl of fassolatha with fresh crusty bread warms one from the inside. This soup is a meal in itself, it is not intended to be served as a starter.

Ingredients

Quantity	Ingredient
600g	dried cannellini beans
1	onion, diced
1	carrot, diced
1 stalk	celery, diced
2	garlic cloves, sliced
1 teaspoon	salt
1/2 teaspoon	freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup	flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped
1 tablespoon	tomato paste
190ml	olive oil

Method

Wash the beans to remove any dust or little stones. Cover generously with cold water and soak overnight. The next day, drain the beans and tip them into a large saucepan with the onion, carrot, celery and garlic. Cover generously with fresh cold water and bring to the boil. Simmer for about 1 hour, or until the beans can be easily squashed between your thumb and forefinger.
Add the salt, pepper and parsley to the saucepan. Dissolve the tomato paste in a little of the hot liquid, then stir into the soup. Add the olive oil and bring to the boil. Boil vigorously for a few minutes, so that the soup becomes thick and creamy. Serve in deep bowls with your choice of suggested accompaniments, depending on the season.

Tags:: Greek; Greece; European; Mediterranean; SBS; Grecque; Grecque; Pam; Talimanidis

Greek bean soup

Fassolatha

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