DO NOT double this recipe unless your pressure cooker is 10L or larger.

1. Add the pancetta to the cold pressure cooker base on medium heat (brown/saute' setting for electrics). When the fat begins to render and the pancetta begins to fry in the fat, stir it around and let it sizzle until crispy. Using a fork, or slotted spoon, remove the pancetta - leaving the rendered fat in the base of the pressure cooker- and set aside.

2. Add the onion, celery and carrot to the base of the pressure cooker and saute' them in the pancetta fat until the onions have softened (about 5 more minutes) - use the wetness of the veggies to lift the brown fond that will have formed on the base.

3. Add the split peas, water bay leaf and salt. Mix well and make sure that the pressure cooker is no more than ½ full (the 6.5l I'm in the photos is only ⅓ full)

4. Close and lock the lid of the pressure cooker.

5. For electric pressure cookers: Cook for 5 minutes at high pressure. For stove top pressure cookers: Turn the heat up to high and when the cooker indicates it has reached high pressure, lower to the heat to maintain it and begin counting 5 minutes pressure cooking time.

6. When time is up, open the pressure cooker with the Natural release method - move the cooker off the burner and wait for the pressure to come down on its own (about 10 minutes). For electric pressure cookers, disengage the “keep warm” mode or unplug the cooker and open when the pressure indicator has gone down (20 to 30 minutes).

7. Mix into the soup about half of the crispy pancetta, remove the bay leaf, and serve the soup with the rest of the pancetta bits as garnish.

Split-pea warning and precautions

Most pressure cooker manuals include a standard line warning against pressure cooking split-peas primarily because they can gum-up the safety valves. Split-pea soup can be so thick the split peas can hide a bubble of super-hot steam that will pop and splatter on the cook if the pressure cooker is opened using a fast pressure release method.

Follow ALL of these precautions when pressure cooking them:

DO NOT make this recipe if you’ve never used a pressure cooker before (follow our lessons and get to know how your pressure cooker operates).

Ensure the gasket and valves of your pressure cooker are good working order.

NEVER fill the pressure cooker more than half-full with split peas and their cooking liquid.

Keep at least a tablespoon of fat as indicated in the recipe – if you’re not using pancetta/bacon add oil.

ALWAYS release pressure using ONLY Natural Release (do not use the valve, don’t use cold-water quick, don’t use base immersion).

Clean the lid and pressure valves thoroughly after pressure cooking split-peas.

For stove top-pressure cookers: supervise the rise to pressure closely to make sure the cooker does not go into over-pressure.

Read more: Creamy Split Pea and Bacon Soup http://www.hippressurecooking.com/creamy-split-pea-and-pancetta-soup/