tomato soup

Chalk this one up to being another San Marzano miracle, but this was some great soup! 

Tomato soup:

Prep time: 5 minutes

Cook time: 15 minutes

Serves: 4

You'll need:

• 1 - 28 ounce tin San Marzano stewed tomatoes
  
• 1 jar roasted red peppers (10-12 oz.)
  
• 6 leaves basil
  
• 4 cloves garlic
  
• 2 T. olive oil
  
• 1 and 1/2 t. salt
  
• 1/2 t. red pepper flakes
  

Special equipment: blender.

First, peel and finely chop the garlic. Next, heat your 2 T. olive oil in a medium-sized saucepan over medium heat. Add the garlic and stir until golden. Add your red pepper flakes and cook for another minute. Next, add the stewed San Marzano tomatoes - use your spoon to break them up a bit. Then, tear the basil into the pot, and stir. Last but not least, season with salt. Cover, and let simmer for 10 minutes. 

To puree the soup, use your blender. Pour the soup (can still be hot) into the blender - but either leave one corner of the lid up, or take out the plastic center part - and cover with a double layer kitchen towel (if you don't you'll create a tomato explosion inside your blender by emulsifying hot liquids in a small space--trust, don't do this!). Blend on low speed for 1 minute. Pour back into your saucepan and heat over a low flame before serving.

To serve: Ladle tomato soup into bowls. Top with a crouton, a curl of parmesan cheese, and a basil leaf. Enjoy, enjoy, enjoy!