Pappa Al Pomodoro

• 6 cups Prepared Tomatoes (See Prep Instructions)
• 1 whole Medium Onion, Peeled & Finely Chopped
• 3 Tablespoons Olive Oil
• 5 cups Chicken Broth
• 5 whole Garlic Cloves
• 5 cups Stale Italian Bread Cubes (Crusts Removed)
• 1/2 cups Fresh Chopped Basil
• Salt and Pepper
• Extra Virgin Olive Oil To Serve
• Basil Pesto To Serve

1. You can make this soup with both canned or fresh tomatoes. If I am using fresh ones, I cut them in half, remove the core and as many seeds as I can. I then roast them in the oven at 250 degrees F for two hours cut side down. I let them cool and pass them through the food mill. I find this extra step intensifies the flavor and creates a tastier soup. It would take about a pound and a half of decent sized plum tomatoes to obtain 1 1/2 cups of prepared tomatoes - so for 6 cups of prepared, you'd need 6 pounds.
2. Pass the tomatoes through a food mill. In a large pot, saute the onions in the oil until they are translucent. Add the tomatoes and broth and bring to a boil. Skewer the garlic cloves on a long wooden skewer or on toothpicks to be removed later and drop them into the pot. Reduce the soup to a simmer and cook 20 minutes. Add the bread cubes and basil and season to taste with salt & pepper. Simmer for an additional 20 minutes. Take a whisk and break up the bread to thicken the soup. Remove from the heat.
3. Mix the pesto with a little olive oil and drizzle this on top of the soup before serving.
4. To serve: I like to serve this soup just slightly warm, garnished with a pretty sprig of basil, some cracked black pepper and a drizzle of the pesto olive oil blend on top.

tomatoes, onion, olive oil, chicken broth, garlic, bread, basil, salt, extra virgin, basil

Taken from tastykitchen.com/recipes/soups/pappa-al-pomodoro/ (may not work)