This post will be the third and final of YHIOYP’s one-pot Back to Life recipe series (see the prior two blog posts here and here). This time, I’m back to my old standby, my trusty crockpot, from which so many wonderful meals have come, and I’ve decided to make my own version of Gypsy Soup, originally from Mollie Katzen, the author of the famous Moosewood Cookbook. Through the years I have made so many recipes from that cookbook that it is now ancient and falling apart, even despite having been taped together with leopard-spot-pattern tape somewhere along the way).

Yesterday evening, I placed the peppers, celery, onion and sweet potatoes in a pottery bowl on the counter. I set the chickpeas to soak in a large glass jar. Then, early this morning, I gathered up all the spices and set them by the vegetables. That way, when I was ready to start, everything was ready waiting for me. 

I decided to add a cup of white wine to the recipe. I know I’ve mentioned before the village of half-empty wine bottles on my counter. This was a great way to use up wine, and it turned out to be a delicious addition to the recipe.

3/4 cup dry chickpeas, soaked 6-8 hours (all night) and drained
3 Tbsp. olive oil
2 red peppers, chopped
2 stalks celery, sliced thin
1 large white onion, diced
3 medium tomatoes, diced
2 large sweet potatoes, washed and diced, skins intact
1 cup white wine
2 bay leaves
2 tsp. paprika
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. hot curry powder
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. cayenne
approx. 4 cups water, to cover

Start by turning the crockpot to high, adding the olive oil, and stirring in the peppers, celery, onion and sweet potatoes. Add the tomatoes, chickpeas, and then the wine and spices. Add water just barely to cover.

After 1 hour, reduce heat to low and allow to cook 4-6 hours. Remove the bay leaves and serve. This great big pot of soup is what we’re having for dinner tonight, and then it’s going to turn into lunches all week long…

Note: If you are using canned chickpeas (rinsed and drained), which is fine with me, then hold them aside until the last hour of cooking. I don’t want them to be mushy or to make the soup taste gummy.

Thank you, Mollie Katzen, for the original version of this recipe!