Soppa tal-Armla – Widow’s Soup

Ingredients:

  • 1 onion, diced
  • 3 to 4 cloves garlic, crushed
  • 2 potatoes, peeled and chopped
  • 2 carrots, peeled and chopped
  • 1 kohlrabi, peeled and chopped
  • 1 cup broad beans
  • 2 celery sticks, sliced
  • 1 cup peas
  • ½ or a small cauliflower cut into bite size pieces
  • ½ cup chopped parsley, plus extra for garnish
  • Gbejniet (Maltese cheese), allow one per person
  • Stock - enough to cover vegetables (chicken or vegetable)
  • 1 ½ tbsp tomato paste
  • Salt & pepper to taste

Method:

Sauté garlic, onion and parsley in the butter and olive oil until soft.

Add potato, carrot, kohlrabi, broad beans, celery, peas and cauliflower.

Pour in stock and tomato paste. Stir well and season to taste with salt and pepper.

Bring to the boil, cover and simmer for about 15 to 20 minutes, until the vegetables are just cooked.

Add gbejniet and press down lightly to submerge. Cover and cook for a couple of minutes to heat through.

Garnish with parsley and stir through.

Serve with one piece of gbejniet in each bowl.

There really is nothing like a hot pot of soup on those occasional chilly days in Lent when meat is eaten sparingly.