Tomato Soup with Ricotta Toast

Ingredients

• 1 kg ripe tomatoes
• 1 red pepper
• 5 tbsp olive oil
• 2 shallots
• 2 Garlic cloves
• 30 g tomato paste (2 tbsp)
• 100 ml red wine
• 800 ml vegetable broth
• Salt
• Pepper
• 0.5 tsp Dried oregano
• 2 stems basil
• 20 g arugula (0.25 bunch)
• 200 g ricotta
• 100 g cherry tomatoes
• 160 g white bread (8 slices; e.g., ciabatta)
• 1 Garlic clove

Instructions

1. 1.

   Briefly blanch tomatoes in boiling water, cool them, and peel off the skins. Quarter the tomatoes and cut away the stems. Wash the pepper, halve it, deseed, and chop.

2. 2.

   Heat 1 tbsp oil in a pot. Peel and finely chop shallots and one garlic clove; sauté until translucent over medium heat.

3. 3.

   Add tomatoes and pepper, cooking for about 5 minutes. Stir in tomato paste and deglaze with wine. Add broth. Season with salt, pepper, and oregano, then simmer for roughly 20 minutes.

4. 4.

   Meanwhile wash basil, pat dry, pluck the leaves, and blend with remaining oil into a fine pesto. Strain through a sieve and set aside.

5. 5.

   Wash arugula, pat dry, finely chop all but a few leaves for garnish. Mix with ricotta, seasoning with salt and pepper. Wash cherry tomatoes and quarter them.

6. 6.

   Toast bread slices. Halve the last garlic clove and rub the cut sides of the bread with it. Spread ricotta on the bread. Arrange tomatoes and remaining arugula on top. Season with salt and pepper.

7. 7.

   Puree the soup, strain if desired, and season to taste. Divide into four bowls, drizzle basil pesto over each, and serve with the toasted bread.