Tomato soup made from tomato paste is passable, but there is a world of difference between that and one made from fresh tomatoes. Two things matter: peeling the tomatoes, because the skins curl up in the soup and scatter through the bowl like scraps of paper, and really toasting the flour in the butter. The second is what gives the soup its velvety texture.
Ingredients
For the soup
For the top
Method
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Peel the tomatoes
Score a cross in the top of each tomato, dip them in boiling water for 30 seconds and transfer to cold water. The skins will lift off by themselves. Then grate them.
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Toast the flour
Melt the butter in a pan, add the flour and stir over medium heat for 2 minutes until it turns pale beige.
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Add the tomatoes
Tip the grated tomatoes into the pan and cook for 5 minutes, until they release their liquid and take it back up.
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Add the water and sugar
Add the hot water, sugar, salt and black pepper. Break up any lumps of flour as you stir.
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Simmer
Simmer gently for 15 minutes. For a velvety texture, give it a quick blast with a hand blender.
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Serve
Ladle into bowls, grate cheese over the top and scatter with oregano. The cheese will melt in the heat.
Tips
- Do not skip the sugar. A teaspoon will not sweeten the soup; it balances the acidity of the tomatoes and rounds out the flavour.
- If the tomatoes are pale, add a tablespoon of tomato paste; it fixes the colour and the flavour at once.
Nutrition
Values are per serving and approximate.