8
Easy
30 minutes, plus 25 minutes’ rising time
13⁄4 hours
To make the amagwinya, place the flour, yeast and salt in a bowl. Combine using your hands. Gently mix the water, olive oil and honey. Make a well in the flour mixture and gradually pour in the water-and-honey mixture, working in the flour with your hands. Add more flour if the mixture gets too sticky. Knead into a soft but firm dough, roll into a ball and cover with cling lm.
Allow to stand for 25 minutes, or until doubled in size. Stretch out the dough onto a floured surface and cut into your desired shapes. Heat the oil to 160°C and fry the amagwinya until golden brown and fluffy inside.
To make the soup, heat the oil in a heavy-based pan and add the onion, leek and celery. Sauté until caramelised, then add the bouquet garni, remaining vegetables, split peas and lentils and stock. Simmer gently, stirring occasionally, until the split peas, lentils and vegetables are soft and velvety. Remove the bouquet garni.
Soups like this are best left chunky, but you can blend it if you like.
Serve the soup topped with the gremolata and the amagwinya on the side.
Cook's note: The earthy aroma of boiling split peas reminds me of my childhood, when I would watch my mom chop colourful root vegetables to add to the pot. I usually make masses of this soup to give away to family.
The gremolata adds beautiful freshness to this soup and is surprisingly tasty with amagwinya. New snack alert!
