Pappa al Pomodoro (Tomato Soup)

Serves 4 people
Cooking time: 50 minutes
Calories: 500 per serving
Expertise level: 1 out of 3

Ingredients
800g tomato passata
300g stale Tuscan bread cut into slices
1 lt of water
1 carrot
1 stick of celery, cut into pieces
2 tomatoes
½ an onion
1 sprig of basil
2g ground pepper
extra virgin olive oil 
garlic (about 2 cloves) 
2g sugar
2g salt

1. To prepare the vegetable stock, boil the water with the carrot, celery, tomatoes and onion for at least ½ hour.
2. Add 15 g of olive oil and two peeled cloves of garlic to a deep, non-stick pan and sauté for 2 minutes.
3. Pour the tomato passata into the pan and boil slowly for at least 15 minutes.
4. Add the bread to the pan.
5. Pour in vegetable stock until the slices of bread are covered.
6. Add the sugar and cook on a low heat for 40–50 minutes, until the liquid has evaporated, stirring occasionally to allow even cooking and the bread to break down.
7. Then season with salt and pepper.
8. When cooked, remove from the heat and add the basil leaves to give your tomato soup a fresh, intense flavour.
9. The soup is now ready to serve in individual bowls or deep plates, drizzled generously with olive oil.