ITALIAN TOMATO SOUP
The Italian tomato soup can be made of a variety ingredients, and you can pick any of your own favorites as you wish. Feel free to experiment. This recipe is a more orthodox approach, with just a few add-ons!
4 servings
3 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, chopped
2 celery stalks, chopped (threads removed)
2 garlic cloves, crushed
(optional) 1 tbsp fresh chopped rosemary
8 tomatoes, skin and core removed, chopped
salt and freshly ground black pepper
1,5 l chicken stock or vegetable stock
100 g spaghetti or vermicelli
1/2 savoy cabbage, chopped into slices
some fresh basil leaves
(optional) a little double cream
(optional) some fresh bread slices to serve along with the soup
In a moderately hot pan, sauté the onions and celery in olive oil for 2 minutes, then add the rosemary and garlic cloves and let them release their juices for 2 more minutes. The vegetables can be lightly browned, if that happens, although you should keep the pan not too hot. Add in tomatoes with salt, raise the temperature and let them soften (2 minutes should do it). Remove the garlic, add the stock and let it all simmer for 15 minutes. Add cabbage and pasta, and cook until the pasta is done. It is good if you can time it so that the cabbage still has some bite to it, so you might need to throw it in before or after the pasta, depending on how long it is supposed to cook. At the end, throw in some basil leaves and season with pepper. Serve with cream and bread aside.