Sopa de Grão à Portuguesa

Ingredients

• 300 gdried chickpeas — soaked overnight
• 350 gspinach — washed and roughly chopped
• 3potatoes — peeled and cubed
• 1onion — chopped
• 4 clovesgarlic — sliced
• 1bay leaf
• 4eggs — poached in the soup at the end
• 6 tbspextra virgin olive oil
• 1.5 Lwater
• to tastefine sea salt

Method

1. Begin by preparing the vegetables and aromatics. Peel and finely chop 1 onion and 4 cloves of garlic. Peel and cut 3 potatoes into evenly sized cubes, about 2 cm each, to ensure they cook uniformly. Rinse 350 g of spinach thoroughly and set aside. This preparation ensures that each element cooks at the same pace, maintaining the desired texture in the soup.
2. In a large pot, heat 6 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and garlic, stirring occasionally until they soften and become translucent, taking care not to let them brown. This should take about 5 minutes. Remove the pot from the heat briefly to add 1 teaspoon of paprika, stirring it in to release its aroma without turning it bitter.
3. Return the pot to the heat and add 1.5 liters of water along with 300 g of dried chickpeas that have been soaked overnight and drained. Add 1 bay leaf for a subtle depth of flavor. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer, allowing the chickpeas to cook until they are tender but still hold their shape, which should take about 1 to 1.5 hours. The chickpeas should be soft enough to crush between your fingers but not mushy.
4. Once the chickpeas are tender, add the cubed potatoes to the pot. Continue to simmer until the potatoes are fork-tender, which means they should easily break apart when pierced with a fork. This should take about 15 to 20 minutes. The soup should start to thicken slightly as the potatoes release their starch.
5. Add the rinsed spinach to the pot, stirring gently to incorporate. Allow the spinach to wilt and become tender, which should take just a few minutes. The vibrant green color of the spinach should be retained, adding freshness to the soup.
6. In a separate saucepan, bring water to a gentle simmer and poach 4 eggs. Carefully crack each egg into the simmering water and cook until the whites are set but the yolks remain runny, about 3 to 4 minutes. This poached egg will be the traditional finish to the soup.
7. Taste the soup and adjust the seasoning with fine sea salt to your preference. Ladle the soup into bowls, ensuring each serving gets a good mix of chickpeas, potatoes, and spinach. Top each bowl with a poached egg and drizzle with a little extra virgin olive oil for richness. Serve immediately, enjoying the comforting flavors of this traditional Portuguese dish.