1 ½ TBS Tunisian harissa (use more if it is not Tunisian)
Parsley, for garnish
Instructions
Drain the chickpeas and place back in the pot. Add 4 ¾ cup water, 2 bay leaves, 1 tsp kosher salt, and 1 TBS olive oil. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 1 hour or until tender.
Meanwhile preheat the oven to 400 F. Slice the bread, then rip it into bite size or smaller pieces. Spread out onto a baking sheet and bake in the preheated oven for 10 minutes.
Meanwhile add the onion and 1 TBS olive oil to a skillet. Saute over medium low heat until the onion turns translucent. Mix in the garlic, and saute another minute. Mix in the cumin, tomato paste, and remaining 1 tsp kosher salt and saute 2 more minutes. Remove from heat.
When the chickpeas are tender, remove the bay leaves then use a slotted to remove 2 cups of chickpeas, placing them in a blender. Use a liquid measuring cup and remove ¾ cup liquid from the pot, placing in the blender along with 4 TBS olive oil. Blend until smooth.
Stir the blended chickpeas back into the cooked chickpeas along with the onion mixture, fresh lemon juice, and harissa. Cook until heated through, about 2-3 minutes.
Divide bread pieces among 6 bowls. Ladle soup over top. Serve immediately. Garnish with parsley, if desired.
Notes
Most of the prep time is simply soaking the chickpeas.
Recipe by Alison's Allspice at https://www.alisonsallspice.com/chickpea-harissa-bread-soup/