Spiced Chickpea Stew with Feta Toasts

I'm never very happy about the end of summer, but the one thing that makes me feel better about chilly weather is the resurgence of soups in my weekly dinner repertoire. I started the fall soup season out with a delicious middle-eastern spiced chickpea stew served alongside decidedly mediterranean feta bruschetta toasts. While both components of the meal go together quite well, I wouldn't hesitate to make either on its own!

Spiced Chickpea Stew with Feta Toasts

from Sippity Sup

4 garlic cloves, minced

1 tsp red pepper flakes

1 tsp coriander seeds

1 tsp kosher salt

1/8 tsp caraway seeds

2 15-oz cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed

2 cans diced tomatoes with juice

1 cup jarred roasted red peppers, drained and roughly chopped

4 cups chicken broth

1 baguette (supposedly you only need 6 slices, but you're gonna want more)

2 ripe tomatoes, diced

1/2 tbsp dried oregano

4 oz crumbled feta cheese

Smash the garlic and salt together with the side of a knife until you make a paste. Using a mortar and pestle (or back of a spoon, muddler, or other makeshift crusher if you're like me and mortar/pestle-less), crush the red pepper flakes, coriander, and caraway. Add the salty garlic paste and combine well. Heat some oil in a saucepan over medium heat; add the garlic mixture and cook until softened, about 3 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes, roasted red peppers, chicken broth, and half the chickpeas. Cover and simmer on low, stirring often, about 35 minutes. Let cool slightly.

Meanwhile, toast the bread slices in a 350° oven for about 5 minutes. Mix the tomatoes, oregano, and feta in a small bowl. Add a drizzle of olive oil. Top the bread slices with a heaping spoonful of the tomato mixture and broil for about 3 minutes. Set aside.

Using an immersion blender (or regular blender in batches, if you're like me and immersion blender-less), pureé the soup until nice and thick. I left it slightly chunky out of preference. Return the soup to the stove, add the rest of the chickpeas, and reheat. Serve with the feta toasts.