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Categories:Viewed: 33 - Published at: 9 years ago
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 6 garlic cloves, peeled
- 8 ripe plum tomatoes, peeled and chopped (canned are fine)
- 1 bay leaf
- 6 cups chicken or vegetable stock, preferably homemade (page 160 or 162), or water
- Four 1-inch-thick slices French or Italian bread, at least a day old
- 4 eggs
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves
Method
- Preheat the oven to 450F.
- Place a large saucepan over medium-high heat.
- Add the olive oil and garlic cloves and cook, stirring occasionally, until the garlic is softened and lightly browned, about 5 minutes.
- Stir in the tomatoes and bay leaf and continue stirring until the tomatoes begin to break down, about 5 minutes.
- Pour in the chicken stock and bring to a boil; lower the heat and simmer for 20 minutes.
- (You can prepare the dish up to this point and let sit for a few hours or cover and refrigerate for up to a day; reheat before proceeding.)
- Meanwhile, prepare the soup bowls.
- Place the bread slices in the bottom of 4 individual heatproof dishes and then break an egg over each slice.
- When the soup is ready, season with salt and pepper, then strain the soup into the individual bowls.
- Sprinkle the parsley on top of the soup and bake for 5 minutes.
- Serve piping hot.
- The meager, ultra simplified version, which is still quite good.
- Omit the tomatoes and use water in place of stock.
- Omit the eggs; instead, toast the bread (better still, fry it on both sides in extra virgin olive oil).
- Finish with freshly grated Parmesan cheese.
- Omit the bread and eggs.
- Finish the simple soup with about 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves and loads of fresh lime juice.
