Tomato, lentil and chickpea soup

Heat oil in large saucepan and sauté onions over medium low heat for five minutes until they are soft.

Add the garlic and sauté for another minute. Stir in the washed, drained lentils.

Roughly chop the roasted tomatoes and add to the saucepan. You can use a tin of whole tinned tomatoes that you roughly chop if so desired.

Add the stock and bring back to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer for 25 minutes until the lentils are soft and pale.

Add the drained, rinsed chickpeas and simmer for a further 5 minutes. Remove from heat and liquidise with a hand blender.

Return to the heat and stir in half of the cheese and tear in the basil, reserving one or two sprigs for garnish.

Add the salt and pepper to taste.
Ladle into soup bowls.

Add a drizzle of olive oil, some basil leaves, a sprinkling of smoked paprika and Parmesan cheese.

Serve with a swirl of créme fraiche.

Reprinted with permission of Kitchen Diary. To see more
recipes, click here.