Flour soup is what you make when the fridge is empty, but done properly it does not taste like an emergency at all. The whole thing is one technique: toasting the flour in butter until it turns the colour of a hazelnut shell. Under-toasted flour leaves a raw taste; over-toasted flour turns bitter.
Ingredients
For the soup
For the top
Method
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Toast the flour
Melt the butter in a pan and add the flour. Cook over medium heat for 5 minutes, stirring constantly, until the flour turns hazelnut brown and its smell comes up.
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Add the water
Pour in the hot water a little at a time, whisking after each addition. Break up any lumps with the whisk.
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Simmer
Simmer gently for 10 minutes, stirring, until the soup thickens.
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Season
Add the salt and pepper and cook for 2 more minutes.
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Serve
Scatter with pepper flakes and serve with toast.
Tips
- Add cold water and the flour will lump instantly. The water must be hot.
- For a richer soup, replace half the water with milk and add the milk at the very end.
Nutrition
Values are per serving and approximate.