Italian Tomato Soup

Tomato soup is another traditional Italian dish that uses leftover ingredients from a previous meal and freshly picked vegetables from the garden. Because the modern kitchen does not usually have the benefit of cooking with freshly picked tomatoes, canned tomatoes are a good substitute. The best canned tomatoes come from San Marzano because they are picked at the peak of their freshness and quickly canned.

I had to list many possible ingredients here because of the many ways to make this soup. You choose the seasonings that are right for you. Pancetta, Italian smoked bacon, may also be used as part of the base to spike up the flavor. If you wish to keep this meatless, then ship the Pancetta. Another way to add zest to the soup is to substitute a basic Marinara sauce for the tomato sauce. Because the seasonings are already in there, you may lesson the amount of other seasonings listed. Some Italian kitchen purists believe that heavy cream would never be used in this type of soup. That is not necessarily true for the rest of us. I have used it in the final stages of cooking to add a creamier texture to the soup. Some times I just prefer a heartier solely tomato based soup. This can be another learning experience, so experiment and have a great time.

INGREDIENTS: (With options)

· 28 oz can whole peeled tomatoes (Best are San Marzano)
· 28 oz rich chicken broth
· can tomato sauce
· 1 tbsp. tomato paste
· 1 medium onion, chopped
· 1 stalk celery, chopped
· 1 medium carrot, chopped
· 2-3 cloves fresh garlic, minced
· 2 tbsp. chopped fresh Italian parsley
· 2 tbsp. sweet basil leaves, finely chopped
· 1 bay leaf
· Pinch sea salt and ground black pepper
· 1 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
· OPTIONAL: Substitute Marinara sauce for tomato sauce
· OPTIONAL: 1-2 tbsp Pancetta, finely chopped
· OPTIONAL: 4-6 oz. heavy cream
· OPTIONAL: Fontina cheese

Begin by adding 2 tablespoons of olive oil the pan. Add onion, celery, carrot, parsley and sauté until onions are translucent. Add garlic and cook for a few minutes. Add tomatoes, tomato pasta, tomato sauce, bay leaf, sweet basil, and salt and pepper to taste. Bring to a boil, and then quickly reduce to simmer. Add Simmer around 15 to 20 minutes.
Before serving, you may either blend the entire mixture with a vertical blender, or allow the whole tomatoes to retain their body. At this point, you may also add the heavy cream for a creamier exture. Serve in a soup crock with one large crouton in the soup. You may also top it with Fontini cheese and place under the broiler for less than five minutes.

back to Recipes