A rich tomato soup made with slowly cooked vegetables, white wine, tomatoes, cream, and sour cream, served over crisp homemade croutons.
Servings: 8
Prep Time: 20
Cook Time: About 45 minutes
Ingredients:
- About 1 loaf Italian or French bread
- 2 carrots
- 2 celery ribs
- 1 medium onion
- 3 garlic cloves
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 cup dry white wine
- 4½ cups canned crushed tomatoes in purée
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano, crumbled
- 3–4 cups water, divided
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 cup sour cream
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Instructions:
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Cut enough bread into ¾-inch cubes to measure about 3 cups. Arrange the bread cubes in a single layer in a shallow baking pan.
- Toast in the middle of the oven until golden and crisp, about 10–15 minutes. Set the croutons aside.
- Finely chop the carrots, celery, onion, and garlic.
- Heat the olive oil in a heavy 4- to 5-quart pot over moderately low heat. Add the chopped vegetables and garlic and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are tender but not browned, about 10 minutes.
- Add the white wine and boil for 3 minutes.
- Add the crushed tomatoes, oregano, and 1 cup of the water. Simmer uncovered, stirring occasionally, for 20 minutes.
- Remove the pot from the heat. Whisk in the heavy cream and sour cream. Allow the soup to cool for about 10 minutes.
- Working in batches, carefully purée the soup in a blender until smooth, transferring each batch to a large bowl.
- Return the puréed soup to the pot. Add enough of the remaining water to reach your desired consistency.
- Season with additional salt and pepper as needed. Heat gently over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until heated through. Do not allow the soup to boil.
- Place some of the toasted croutons in each serving bowl and ladle the hot tomato soup over them.
Tip:
After adding the heavy cream and sour cream, keep the soup below a boil to help maintain its smooth, creamy texture.
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