It is simple, it is basic, and it is so much better than the tinned stuff…
These quantities are a little rubbery, a bit dependent on how much soup you want and what the status of your pantry is. But to feed four you might want…
- 1 largeish onion, finely diced
- 1 largeish carrot, finely grated if you have fussy children, diced if not
- some slices of pancetta, bacon or ham, finely chopped (leave this out if you want to go truly vegetarian, obviously)
- 1 large tin or two small tins of tomatoes, chopped with their juices
- 2-3 cups of stock, either chicken or vegetable
- olive oil
Method
Heat the oil in a large saucepan over a moderate heat. Add the onion and stir to coat with the oil. Sprinkle over some salt and let the onion sauté while you chop the pancetta (or whatever) and grate the carrot.
Add the pancetta and the carrot to the onion and stir for a few minutes. Add the tomatoes and the stock and bring the soup to the boil. Reduce the heat until the soup has reached a nice steady simmer. (At this point you could also throw in some sprigs of herbs, such as parsley or basil, and a good grinding of pepper.)
After about twenty minutes, or when the kids have finished their bath, purée the soup in a blender. Put it back over the heat to bring back to a simmer and taste for seasonings.
Serve with a dollop of yoghurt, and some cheesy toast on the side.