Phil’s Favorite Pea Soup

Phil is such a funny guy. He has lived in warm and sunny Florida his entire life, yet loves wintry weather so much. We always ask him why he doesn’t just move somewhere he can bask in the piles of snow he dreams about, but he always comes up with some kind of excuse as to why he can’t. Because he’s cold-weather-obsessed, he’s also soup-obsessed. Hence, that’s how Phil’s Favorite Pea Soup came to life. This slow-simmering, savory soup is filled with all kinds of veggies and some homemade dumpling-like bites. It’s light enough that he can eat it in his tropical climate while he longs to be shivering somewhere up North. See? He’s silly. But Phil’s Favorite Pea Soup is quite good. Try it, no matter what climate you’re in!

Ingredients

For the soup:

• 1/2 pound dried whole peas
• 1/2 pound dried green split peas
• 3 quarts water, plus more, to taste
• 1 meaty ham shank
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 1 medium carrot, chopped
• 2 ribs celery, chopped
• 1/2 cup celery leaves, chopped
• 1 teaspoon dried mixed herbs, such as rosemary, basil, chervil, and/or tarragon
• 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, minced
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 1/2 pound smoked sausage, chopped

For the spaetzle dumplings:

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 large egg, beaten
• 1/3 cup water

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Directions

Step 1 –In a bowl, add the whole peas, the green split peas, and enough of the extra water to cover them and soak overnight. Drain, rinse, and place them in a Dutch oven.

Step 2 –Add the ham shank, 3 quarts of the water, the onion, the carrot, the celery, the celery leaves, the dried mixed herbs, the parsley, the bay leaf, the salt, and the pepper to the peas and bring to a boil.

Step 3 –Reduce the heat, cover the Dutch oven, and simmer the soup, about 2 hours-2 hours 30 minutes.

Step 4 –Transfer the ham shank from the soup and skim the fat. Carve the meat off and dice it.

Step 5 –Add the diced ham and the sausage to the soup and stir to combine.

Step 6 –In a small bowl, add the flour and make a depression in the center. Fill it with the beaten egg.

Step 7 –Add the remaining water to the egg and slowly stir the flour into the egg-water mixture until it is smooth.

Step 8 –Place a colander over the Dutch oven. Place the dough in the colander and press the dough through the holes, dropping them directly into the soup.

Step 9 –Cook the soup, uncovered, about 10-15 minutes.

Step 10 –Remove and discard the bay leaf from the soup.

Step 11 –Serve.