Faki (φακή) is a traditional Greek lentil soup eaten on Good Friday, with Easter the biggest holiday in the Greek Orthodox Church's calendar.

There are many versions, some called Faki Xidati, here is mine. It's great when something traditional is actually great to eat rather than just ticking boxes on a seasonal theme too, and the vinegar added at the very end of the soup is designed to be symbolic of the vinegar given to Christ on his way to Calgary, when he'd asked for water.

This soup is a perfect spring/autumn soup for an overcast day - it's not too heavy but it's rich in flavour and creamy in texture.

Serves Four.

1 onion, chopped
1 tBsp dried oregano
1 large carrot, chopped
3 sticks celery, chopped
3 Cloves garlic
Large Handful of cherry tomatoes
Fresh Oregano leaves (if you don't have this increase dried oregano in the recipe)
600ml chicken or vegetable stock
1 tBsp tomato paste
2 Bay leaves
2 cans Puy lentils in water (400gm each, pre cooked)
2-3 tBsp Balsamic Vinegar (or Red Wine Vinegar)
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Fry the onions in some light olive oil with the dried oregano until just turning translucent.

Add a pinch of sea salt too, which stops the onions burning.

Add the carrot, celery and potato, with a tiny bit more oil if needed.

Drain the lentils and rinse them in cold water (run water over the sieve) and then add to the vegetables.

Make sure all of the veg and lentils are coated well then pour in your hot stock and add the bay leaves.

In a mini whisk, or by hand, whizz up the cherry tomatoes, garlic and fresh oregano.

Add the tomato mixture to the soup with the spoonful of tomato paste.

Bring to the boil, then simmer on a low heat for 20-30 minutes. All the vegetables should now be cooked through.

Remove the bay leaves and puree or blend half the soup. I use a hand held mixer which has a pureeing attachment.

Return the now creamy soup to the pan and mix together, adding more hot stock if you'd like to thin the consistency of the soup.

Don't add the vinegar until you are ready to serve the soup. Either stir in to the main pot, or drizzle a ribbon of Balsamic vinegar on individual portions.

If you don't thin the soup, this thicker base would make a delicious vegie (use veg. stock though!) alternative to mince bolagnese, or even as a base for a shepherd's pie.

The finished soup is a rich colour but would benefit from some chopped parsley on top - I would have taken a photo but we had no leftovers!