Split pea soup with smoked bacon and whole wheat bread

Peel the carrots and cut them into small dice. Peel the onion and slice it thin.

Rinse the 160 g of dried split peas under cold water in a colander or right in the saucepan, then drain them. No need to soak them for this soup.

Cut the 100 g of smoked bacon into small strips. Heat the olive oil in the saucepan over medium heat, add the bacon and onion and sauté, stirring.

Add the carrots, split peas, the 2 bay leaves and 1.2 l of water. Add pepper, but hold off on the salt for now, the bacon is already salty.

Bring to a boil, then turn down to low, half cover and simmer for 45 min, stirring now and then. The peas should mash easily with the spoon.

During the last few minutes of simmering, toast the 4 slices of whole wheat bread in the toaster or in a hot dry skillet, 2 min per side.

Remove the 2 bay leaves. Taste, then add salt if needed and pepper. Mash a few peas with the spoon to thicken it, without draining the soup.

Ladle the soup into 2 bowls and serve with the toasted bread, 2 slices per person.