Hungarian Ham and Bean Soup

Ingredients:

• 2 tbsp oil or butter
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 cups cooked ham, diced (or smoked ham hock)
• 1 cup dried beans (soaked overnight) or 2 cups canned beans
• 2 carrots, sliced
• 1 parsley root or parsnip, chopped
• 1 potato, diced
• 1 tsp Hungarian paprika
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• Salt to taste
• 1 bay leaf
• 6 cups water or broth

Optional thickening (rántás):

• 1 tbsp oil
• 1 tbsp flour
• 1/2 tsp paprika