Sopa de Farigola (Catalan Thyme and Bread Soup)

Sopa de Farigola is Catalan, a thyme-and-bread soup from the dry hills and old kitchens where farigola, wild thyme, perfumes even plain water. What makes it this soup and not Castilian sopa de ajo is exactly what it leaves out: no pimentón, no ham, no stock. Fried garlic, stale bread, olive oil, salt, and the herb. Small food, but not careless food.

The method that decides it is the thyme. Fry the garlic only to pale gold, then let the farigola infuse in barely simmering water and rest covered a few minutes. Boil it hard and long and the herb goes bitter, like old tea. Treat it gently and the broth tastes clean, green, and warmer than its ingredients have any right to be.

If you can't gather farigola from a Catalan hillside, use good fresh thyme or a measured 3g of dried thyme from a shop with turnover. The dried herb is darker and less floral, so use less and strain it before the bread goes in. For pa de pagès, a stale country loaf or day-old sourdough works; soft sandwich bread turns to paste. No hace falta haber pisado España. This is the sort of soup that forgives a tired cook, as long as you don't drown the herb. Siempre sale, si lo sigues.