Pappa al Pomodoro

This fancy-sounding soup recipe is from Barefoot Contessa: Back to Basics. Don’t be fooled—it’s basically tomato soup made thick and creamy with the addition of ciabatta bread; the mixture is pureed until smooth. Red wine, which I don’t use in my basic tomato soup recipe, adds a nice depth of flavor. Andy and I both really liked it, so this may be our new standby on a cold winter night. Enjoy!

Pappa al Pomodoro
2 onions, chopped
2 carrots, thinly sliced
1 fennel bulb, chopped

Olive oil

Salt and pepper
4 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 (16-oz.) loaf ciabatta bread, cut into cubes
2 (28-oz.) cans crushed tomatoes
1 (32-oz.) carton chicken broth
1/2 cup red wine
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
Parmesan cheese

Toasted ciabatta slices

1. Sauté onions and next 2 ingredients in hot oil for 10 to 15 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Add in garlic, and cook for 5 more minutes. Add in ciabatta cubes, and cook for 5 more minutes. Stir in tomatoes and next 3 ingredients. Reduce heat to low, and cook for 15 minutes.

2. Use immersion blender to puree soup until smooth. Ladle into bowls, and top with freshly grated Parmesan cheese. Serve with ciabatta slices.