Tomatoes, leeks, carrots, and garlic are roasted in one pan to create the base of this simple but satisfying soup. Serve it with toasted sliced rustic bread, or pair it with a sandwich, such as Eggplant and Mozzarella Melts (page 37), for dinner.
Recipe information
Yield
serves 4 as a starter
Ingredients
Preparation
Step 1
Preheat oven to 425°F. In a roasting pan, toss to combine tomatoes, leeks, carrots, garlic, and oil. Season with salt and pepper. Spread in a single layer, with tomatoes cut side down. Roast until vegetables are very tender, about 1 hour. Using tongs, peel off tomato skins.
Step 2
Transfer vegetables to a large saucepan; add vegetable broth and the water. Bring to a boil; reduce heat, and simmer 10 minutes.
Step 3
Using an immersion or regular blender (see page 363; work in batches so as not to fill jar of blender more than half-way), puree mixture until very smooth, about 1 minute. At this point, soup can be refrigerated up to 2 days in an airtight container; let cool completely before storing. Reheat gently before serving.
Step 4
To serve, ladle into bowls, and garnish with basil.
