φακές (that's Greek for lentil soup!)

Well, I can't find my mom's recipe, but this is very similar.

1/2 pound of small brown/green lentils, soaked overnight
1 pound of ripe tomatoes or 1 large can of tomatoes
4 1/4 cups of water
2 - 3 medium onions, minced
6 cloves of garlic, peeled
5-6 carrots cut in thin rounds
2 stalks of celery, chopped
1/2 cup of olive oil
2 bay leaves
salt
black pepper

Soak the lentils overnight, then rinse and drain. Pick through to remove any small stones or sticks, then set aside.

Puree the tomatoes in a food processor bowl or blender or open the can. Add tomatoes and liquid to a stock pot. Add water, bay leaves, onion, garlic, carrots, celery and some salt & pepper.

Bring to a boil & add the lentils and oil. Reduce the heat to a simmer. Cook about 3 hours or until lentils are soft and starting to break apart.

Remove from the heat, take out the bay leaves. If needed, add more salt and pepper to taste. Lots of people add a little vinegar when they serve this soup, but it is really up to you.

This tastes even better the next day.