PEA SOUP WITH PARMESAN CRUSTS
This purée soup is easy to make and delicious, with a creamy and velvety texture, contrasted by the accompanying parmesan crusts. Everything is simple here, even the ingredients and techniques. Nice to eat in the cold months of the year, since we usually have access to frozen peas and they are ok to use.
4 servings:
1 kg/2 lb. petit pois peas
2 tbsp salt
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup vegetable stock or chicken stock, hot
salt, pepper to season
1 tbsp truffle oil, or truffle shavings if you have
100 g grated parmesan cheese
To make the parmesan crusts, heat the oven to about 160 C/325 F and prepare a baking plate with a baking paper on it. Place the grated parmesan as circles with just a little 'holes' between the grated bits, and make it a fairly thin layer, just so it covers the paper enough. Bake for about 8 minutes, or more, until they are melted and slightly browned. Remove from the oven, chill, and keep until serving. They are best fresh, as they will lose their crispiness within a few days.
To make the soup, bring a large pot of water to rolling boil and add salt and sugar to dissolve them. Also prepare a blender, and a big bowl of iced water standing by. To the boiling water add the peas, little by little, to keep the water boiling, and cook the peas until tender - frozen will take just a few minutes, fresh peas will take longer, about 8 minutes - taste them while you cook them. When the peas are cooked, remove them into a colander, and then place them in the iced water. This is to not let the peas lose their nice green color. When chilled until warm, put the peas into the blender and purée them together with the stock. Add as much stock as you need to make the soup into the right soupy consistency. Then season with salt, pepper, and truffle oil. Serve hot with the parmesan crusts.