Warm & Hearty Bacon Potato Pasta Chorba
Perfect for Chilly Evenings: Bacon Potato Pasta Chorba
The weather has suddenly turned cold; it’s the perfect evening for a warm bowl of chorba! This hearty soup features crispy fried pasta, savory bacon, and tender potatoes, creating a comforting and flavorful dish. Feel free to substitute ingredients based on what you have on hand. This recipe is also easily adaptable for a vegetarian diet by simply omitting the bacon. Chorba is a traditional Spanish soup, ideal for warding off the cold and satisfying your appetite.
Ingredients
- Olive Oil: Generous amount
- Pasta: 5-6 strands
- Thick-cut Bacon: 200g (cut into bite-sized pieces)
- Whole Garlic Cloves: 6 (smashed with the side of a knife)
- Onion: 1/4 (finely diced)
- Potato: 1 (peeled and diced into 1.5cm cubes)
- All-purpose Flour: 1/2 cup
- Chicken Stock (or Vegetable Broth): 1 tablespoon (granulated or liquid)
- Water: 500ml
- Celery: 1 stalk (finely diced)
- Salt: To taste
- Pepper: To taste
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
Pour a generous amount of olive oil into a deep pot. Add the pasta strands and fry them over low heat until golden brown and crispy. This ‘fried’ pasta adds a delightful texture.
Step 2
Once the pasta starts to sizzle and crisp up,
Step 3
Add the chopped bacon and fry it with the pasta. The rendered bacon fat will add a wonderful depth of flavor.
Step 4
Add the smashed garlic cloves and sauté until fragrant, about 1 minute.
Step 5
Stir in the diced onion and cook until it becomes translucent. Sautéing the onion well will bring out its natural sweetness and prevent the mixture from sticking to the pot. Keep stirring to avoid burning.
Step 6
Add the diced potato and sauté briefly with the other ingredients.
Step 7
Add the finely diced celery and continue to cook for another 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Once the vegetables have softened slightly, turn off the heat.
Step 8
With the heat off, add the 1/2 cup of flour. Stir well with a spatula or whisk until the flour is evenly incorporated into the mixture, ensuring there are no lumps. This step helps to thicken the soup.
Step 9
Add 1 tablespoon of chicken stock for an extra boost of savory flavor.
Step 10
Pour in the 500ml of water. Turn the heat back on to low and continue to stir constantly as the soup heats up and thickens, making sure to dissolve any flour clumps. Keep stirring until the soup is smooth and lump-free.
Step 11
Finally, season with salt and pepper to taste. I used about 1/2 tablespoon of each, but feel free to adjust according to your preference. Let it simmer gently for a few minutes before serving hot.
