Ingredients

For the soup:

1 1/2 cups of small, green lentils

1 1/2 cups of medium-diced baby turnips

1/2 cup of dry white wine

6 cups of water

1/2 of a small dried chili pepper, crumbled

3 teaspoons of fresh thyme leaves, minced

3 teaspoons of fresh marjoram leaves, minced

4 cloves of garlic, minced

1/4 cup of extra virgin olive oil

salt and pepper, to taste

For the pounded walnuts:

1/3 cup of walnuts, pounded roughly with a mortar and pestle (don’t pound into sawdust; leave a few small chunks for texture)

1 tablespoon of flat-leaf Italian parsley, finely chopped

extra virgin olive oil, to taste

Preparation

  1. Combine the garlic, herbs, hot pepper and olive oil in a medium pot. Bring the heat up to medium and saute for several minutes (until the garlic begins to golden).
  2. Add the lentils, mixing them with the herbs and garlic. Next, add the wine, stir, and add the water.
  3. Cover the pot, partially, and cook the soup for about 40 minutes at a medium to strong simmer. If the soup starts looking dry, add more water. Next, add the turnips and about a teaspoon of salt. Simmer for another 20 to 25 minutes. If you like your soup on the stewy-ier side, let it thicken. If you prefer for it to be a bit runnier, add some more water.
  4. Once the turnips are tender and soft, remove the soup from the heat.
  5. Ladle into soup bowls and top with a tablespoon of pounded walnuts, a sprinkling of parsley and a generous drizzle of olive oil. Season with a bit more salt and freshly ground pepper.