Azerbaijan's lamb and chickpea soup, traditionally cooked and served in individual clay pots - each portion simmers slowly on its own, which is what gives piti its rich, concentrated broth.
•1.5 lb lamb shoulder or lamb on the bone, cut into chunks
•1 cup dried chickpeas, soaked overnight
•2 onions, chopped
•2 potatoes, cubed
•2 tomatoes, chopped (or 2 tbsp tomato paste)
•4-5 dried plums (prunes), or 1 quince, cubed
•1 tsp saffron threads, steeped in 2 tbsp hot water
•Salt and black pepper, to taste
Steps
1.Soak the dried chickpeas overnight in plenty of water.
2.In a deep pot (or individual clay pots if you have them), combine the lamb, drained chickpeas, and one chopped onion, cover with water, bring to a boil, and skim off any foam.
3.Simmer over low heat for about 1 hour until the chickpeas begin to soften.
4.Add the potatoes, remaining onion, tomatoes, and dried plums, and continue simmering for another hour, until the lamb is fork-tender and the broth has reduced and concentrated - the dried plums are what give piti its distinctive light sourness, so don't skip them.
5.Stir in the saffron water in the last 10 minutes for color and aroma, and season with salt and pepper.
6.If using individual pots, ladle the soup into bowls or pots and serve with flatbread, traditionally mashing some of the meat and chickpeas into the broth with a spoon before eating.