Serves 6
• 2½ Tbs. olive oil
• 3 cloves garlic, pressed or minced
• 2 Tbs. paprika
• 4½ cups Garlic Broth or Potato Peel Broth
• 4 cups puréed fresh tomatoes, strained
• salt to taste
• Tabasco sauce, to taste
• butter to taste
• 6 slices French bread
• Parmesan cheese, grated
1. Heat the olive oil in a large, heavy skillet and sauté the garlic in it for a minute or two. Remove the skillet from direct heat and stir the paprika into the oil. Return to low heat and continue stirring the paprika and oil for another moment. The instant it begins to sizzle, add the broth and the puréed tomatoes. (If it’s winter and you can’t get good, fresh tomatoes, canned tomatoes can be substituted. Purée them in a blender or food processor with all their juice, and strain through a sieve to get rid of the seeds.)
2. Simmer the soup for 10 to 15 minutes, taste it, and season with salt and a little Tabasco.
3. Butter 6 slices of French bread, and sprinkle them generously with grated Parmesan cheese. Rub the cheese lightly into the butter with a knife. Bake these croutons in a hot oven for about 10 minutes, or put them under the broiler for 2 to 3 minutes. They should be lightly browned around the edges. Put 1 in each of 6 bowls, pour the hot soup over the croutons, and serve immediately.
