Rinse the peas and discard any that are damaged or dark. Place the peas in a large pot set over high heat. Add 4 cups broth and bring to a boil. Boil for 2 minutes, and cover the pot. Remove the pot from the heat, and let the beans soak 1 hour. Don’t lift the lid and don’t drain the beans after the hour has passed.

Cut the bacon strips into ¼-inch slices, and place in a large Dutch oven set over medium heat. Cook the bacon until crisp. Transfer bacon to a paper towel (leaving the rendered bacon fat).

Place the diced onion in the Dutch oven and cook until onion is translucent. Reduce the heat to low, add the garlic and cook an additional 30 seconds, stirring often.

Slowly add the water while scraping the bottom of the pot to deglaze the pan. Add the Bouquet Garni, Italian seasoning, bay leaves, sugar, kosher salt, black pepper, hot sauce and apple cider vinegar. Set heat to low and simmer about 10 minutes. Remove from the heat until peas have softened.

After the peas have softened (about 1 hour), add them and the broth to the onion mixture in the Dutch oven and stir well. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low and add all except 3 tablespoons crisped bacon. Replace the lid and simmer the peas until tender (or about 1-1½ hours), stirring every 20 minutes. Season, if needed, with salt and black pepper.

To serve, ladle soup into bowls and sprinkle with reserved crispy bacon and chopped parsley.

Enjoy!