Dutch Split-Pea Soup (Erwtensoep)

We used to have this quite often growing up. You usually use smoked pork hocks and smoked sausage made from pork but I will subsitute turkey bacon and beef knackwurst.

According to Dutch tradition the national dish should be so thick that a spoon will stand upright in it.

Dutch Split-Peas Soup

8 servings ( about 1 1/2 cups each)

9 cups water
1 pound dried green split peas (about 2 1/4 cups)
2 pounds smoked pork hocks
6 leeks, sliced
4 stalks celery sliced
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 1/2 teaspoons crushed dried savory leaves
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/2 pound cooked smoked sausage

Heat water and peas to boiling in Dutch oven; boil 2 minutes. Remove from heat; cover and let stand one hour. Add remaining ingredients except sausage to peas. Heat to boiling; reduce heat. Cove and simmer until pork is tender, about 2 hours. Skim fat if necessary.

Remove pork hocks; cool slightly. Trim fat and bone from pork. Cut pork into 1/2-inch pieces. Stir pork and sausage into soup. Heat to boiling; reduce heat. Cover and simmer until sausage is hot, 10 to 15 minutes. Remove sausage and slice. Serve sausage with bread if desired or return to soup.