reneeber

I noticed there was another recipe for this already posted - I'll have to try that one too!

Tomato Soup with Basil

(I usually double this recipe)

3 large ripe tomatoes
2 T. olive oil
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 small red bell pepper, finely chopped
4 c. chicken or vegetable stock
1/4 c. tomato paste
1 t. sugar
1/4 c. fresh basil leaves (or more...)
pasta (I use small shells)

Cut a small cross in the top of each tomato. Plunge the tomatoes into boiling water for 1-2 minutes, then into cold water. Peel the skin down from the cross and discard. Remove the seeds and roughly chop the tomatoes. Heat the oil in a large skillet and cook the onion, garlic and red pepper, stirring, for 10 minutes or until soft. Add the tomato and cook for another 10 minutes.

Add the stock, tomato paste, sugar and salt & pepper to taste. Cover and simmer for 15 minutes. Remove from heat and add the basil. Allow the mixture to cool slightly before processing the mixture, in batches, in a food processor or blender until smooth. Return the mixture to the pan and reheat on low.

While the soup is cooking, cook your pasta. If you make a lot of the soup, only add pasta to what you're going ot eat right then, because it will continue to soak up moisture from the soup, expand and get soggy if you leave it in the fridge like that. Just my $0.02.