| 1 | Dice the tomatoes into bite-sized pieces. |
| 2 | Set aside. |
| 3 | heat olive oil until it is warmed. |
| 4 | Add the garlic & saute it very gently only until it becomes fragrant. |
| 5 | Add the tomatoes, stir once & add the remaining ingredients except the basil & salt & pepper. |
| 6 | Raise the heat a little, cover & let the soup cook gently without ever letting it quite come to the boil. |
| 7 | Let it cook like this for 45 minutes. |
| 8 | You want the tomatoes to be softened. |
| 9 | Add the seasonings & the basil. |
| 10 | Cook long enough to warm the basil through. |
| 11 | Serve with freshly baked, crusty, italian bread. |
| 12 | mark"s note: if you want a thin soup, omit the tomato paste. |
| 13 | If you want it to be thicker, add the paste, but it will make quite a difference to the texture of the soup. |
| 14 | If serving as a lunch, or with only a light main course, then the paste makes this a rich & satisfying soup: if serving purely as an appetizer, then omit the tomato paste. |
| 15 | also, do not let the soup come to a full rolling boil. |
| 16 | It is best served warmed. |
| 17 | Once you add the basil, you may want to switch the heat off & let the soup sit for a while, reheating just before serving. |
| 18 | recipe by mark satterly |
