Years ago, I had this soup in some cafe. I loved it so that I did some research knowing it was not homemade, and I found that it was from a company that sold frozen, concentrated soups. I was able to purchase the concentrate, but because it was sold to institutions, it came in a package size that was impossible to deal with. PLUS, what a better opportunity to challenge my own culinary skills! I have been attempting to make this brothy tomato soup for several years, and this summer, I had a breakthrough. This soup is not like typical tomato soups. It is not pureed, nor does it contain cream. It is only slightly thick, but is absolutely one of my favorites with a spicy kick from red chili flakes and basil. This soup is best made during the summer due to the need for roasted tomatoes. What I do is to take my tomato seconds from the garden and roast them up with a little olive oil, salt and pepper, at 350 for about an hour until they are soft and browning. I then put them through a food mill. This is the key to this recipe. It gives a depth to this soup you cannot get without the roasting.
This soup can be made vegetarian by using vegetable broth. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do.
Ingredients for Roasted Tomatoes
3 lbs. tomatoes
1 T. olive oil
1/2 t. kosher salt
1/4 t. black pepper
Directions for Roasted Tomatoes
Wash the tomatoes and remove the stem. Place tomatoes on a cookie sheet and toss with oil, salt and pepper. Roast in 350 degree oven for about an hour until skins have popped and turned black in spots. Put through a food mill (or processor then strainer). Yield will vary based on tomatoes. Extra can be used in soup or frozen for next batch.
Ingredients for soup
1 T. olive oil
1/2 t. crushed red chili flakes
1 1/2 cups onions, chopped into 1/4 inch pieces
4 cloves garlic, crushed
1 bay leaf
2 c. roasted tomatoes (pureed)
1-28 oz. can whole peeled tomatoes (not in puree), broken into small (about 1/2'') pieces
1 qt. homemade chicken (or vegetable) broth
2 c. water
1 T. white wine vinegar
3-4 T. cornstarch
1/4 c. water
1/2 c. basil, chiffonade
1 1/2 c. raviolini
Directions for Soup
Heat oil in heavy bottomed dutch oven. Add chili flakes, bay leaf, and onions. Sauté until onions are softened, about 6 minutes. Add garlic and cook for one minute. Add roasted tomatoes, whole can of broken up tomatoes and juice, broth, and water. Bring to a boil, lower heat, then simmer for 1 hour. After 1/2 hour, bring large pot of water to a boil. Add 1 T. salt and cook raviolini until thoroughly done (not al dente). Drain pasta. Taste soup. Add salt and pepper to taste. Add vinegar. Mix 3 T. cornstarch and water. Add to soup. Soup should thicken slightly, but not be thick. If needed, mix the remaining tablespoon of cornstarch with a few tablespoons of water and add to make the soup a bit more thick, depending on taste. Add the raviolini to the soup along with the basil. Serve and enjoy!
