Split Pea Soup with Parmesan-thyme Crisps

For the Parmesan-thyme Crisps:

Preheat your oven to 300 F. Place a mounded tablespoon of cheese for each crisp, onto a baking pan that you’ve lined with a silicone mat or parchment paper. (Place them about 1/2 and inch apart). Use the back of the spoon to spread the cheese thin and form it into a circle, about three inches in diameter. Sprinkle a little dried thyme onto the top of each circle.

Bake for 5-7 minutes, keeping a close eye on them, until the edges turn just slightly golden. Remove them from the oven and allow them to cool on the pan. Then use a spatula to carefully remove them from the pan. Use one crisp to top each bowl of soup as garnish.

For the Split Pea Soup:

Add the vegetable broth, water, peas, potatoes, carrot, onion, garlic, thyme and pepper to a large pot and bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce the heat and simmer, covered, for 50-55 minutes or until the peas and vegetables are tender. Stir the ingredients occasionally. After 50-55 minutes, add the salt to the soup. If the soup seems too thick for your tastes at this point, add some water, stir, and continue to cook for another 3-5 minutes. Remove the pot from the heat and allow it to cool slightly.

In small amounts, add a total of about half the soup into a blender and puree until it’s smooth. Return the pureed soup to the pot and mix with the remaining soup.

Serve warm in individual bowls, topped with a Parmesan-thyme Crisp.