Soup
Lablabi
- Preparation time
- 1 h
- Servings
- 4 servings
Ingredients
- Chickpeas — to buy250 g (dried)
- Bread — to buy4 slices (stale)
- Garlic — to buy4 cloves
- Cumin — to buy1 tbsp
- Harissa — to buy1 tbsp
- Olive oil — to buy4 tbsp
- Egg — to buy4
- Tuna — to buy1 can (optional)
- Capers — to buy1 tbsp
- Lemon — to buy1
- Salt — to buy1 pinch
Preparation
The day before, soak the dried chickpeas in cold water (or use canned pre-cooked chickpeas for a quick version).
Drain the chickpeas, cover with fresh water in a pot with 2 whole garlic cloves, bring to a boil and cook for 45 minutes to 1 hour, until very tender. Don't discard the cooking water — it becomes the lablabi broth.
Meanwhile, cut the stale bread into pieces and place it in the bottom of each serving bowl: this is the traditional base of lablabi, which soaks up the hot broth.
Crush the remaining 2 garlic cloves, and mix them with the cumin and harissa in a ladle of hot chickpea cooking broth.
Pour this mixture into the pot of chickpeas, and simmer for 5 more minutes so the flavors infuse the broth well.
Meanwhile, poach the eggs: bring vinegared water to a simmer, create a swirl and gently slide in each egg, cooking for 3 minutes for a runny yolk.
Pour the steaming broth and chickpeas over the bread in each bowl, and drizzle generously with olive oil.
Add one poached egg per bowl (and flaked tuna if you want the classic version, entirely optional for a vegetarian version), a few capers and a squeeze of lemon.
Serve immediately, with harissa on the side so everyone can adjust the heat.