Ingredients:

  • 1 ham bone
  • 1 lb dry yellow peas, split
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 Tbl each butter
  • 1 Tbl olive oil
  • 2 quarts water
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1 lb baby carrots
  • 1 lb spaghetti, broken into 3-inch pieces
  • Salt and pepper, to taste
  • 1 can evaporated milk or
  • 1 C light cream or milk

Instructions:

  1. Empty package of split peas into a colander or bowl. Sort through well, removing foreign matter and imperfect peas. Rinse well. Soak for 2 hours in 2 cups of water.
  2. In a large soup pot or Dutch oven, sauté minced garlic in 1 tablespoon of butter and 1 tablespoon og olive oil until garlic is golden, but not brown in colour. Add ham bone, water in which peas have been soaked and 2 extra quarts of water, and bay leaves.
  3. Bring to a boil for 1 minute; reduce heat and simmer, covered for 1 hour. Remove cover and simmer an additional hour or until soup is desired consistency. Add baby carrots during final 20-30 minutes of cooking (may be roughly chopped, if desired, or leave whole).
  4. If you prefer a purèed soup, process using a hand blender before adding carrots.
  5. Taste soup one half hour before serving; add additional garlic or garlic powder and salt and pepper, as desired. Bring a separate pot of water to a boil and cook spaghetti according to package directions. Drain.
  6. Stir in milk or cream 10 minutes before serving. If you have any leftover ham, add at this time. Stir in spaghetti. Remove bay leaves before serving.

Cooking Instructions:

  1. Pour dried, split yellow peas into a 6-quart or larger Dutch oven pot, crockpot or stockpot, and cover with water. Swirl peas around and pour through a sieve or colander. Repeat multiple times to ensure removal of any debris.
  2. Put peas back in the pot. Add water 1-2 inches above peas.
  3. Bring to a full boil then reduce heat to medium-low if using a stockpot or Dutch oven. Cook on high if using a crockpot.
  4. Drain peas, but keep liquid in a separate bowl.
  5. Pour peas into a blender and grind/pulse them to a smooth consistency.
  6. Combine blended peas and reserved liquid in your pot. Cook an additional 30-45 minutes on low heat, and stir occasionally.