Roasted Tomato & Red Pepper Soup with Cheese Crispettes | Cook Book Recipe Series

What Ingredients Do You Need?

This recipe has two components: the roasted tomato and red pepper soup, and the cheese crispettes. The ingredient lists are straightforward, and each one plays an important role in building flavour. For the roasted tomato and red pepper soup. Deep-flavoured tomatoes – Use ripe, flavourful tomatoes for the best results. They are the foundation of the soup, so choose tomatoes that smell fragrant and feel ripe without being overly soft. Roasting concentrates their flavour and sweetness. Red pepper – A red bell pepper adds sweetness and colour. Remove the seeds and white core before roasting so that it blends smoothly into the soup. Garlic – Garlic becomes mellow and sweet when roasted with tomatoes. Two large cloves add a lovely savoury flavour without overpowering the basil. Olive oil – Olive oil helps the vegetables roast evenly and carries their flavour throughout the soup. A fruity extra-virgin olive oil is also wonderful for finishing the dish. Vegetable stock – Vegetable stock brings the roasted vegetables together and gives the soup its consistency. Depending on your tomatoes and how thick you prefer your soup, you may not need to use every drop. Fresh basil – Basil is essential for that classic tomato and basil flavour. Add the leaves towards the end of cooking to preserve their fresh aroma. Salt and freshly ground black pepper – Season the vegetables generously before roasting, then taste and adjust the soup after blending. The amount of salt you need will depend on your stock. French bread and fruity olive oil, for serving – Toast slices of French bread until golden, then finish with olive oil. They are delicious alongside the soup and provide another way to enjoy every last spoonful.

For the cheese crispettes. All-purpose flour – Flour provides the structure for the crispettes and helps the ingredients form a cohesive dough. Unsalted butter – Use softened butter at room temperature so that it blends evenly with the cheese and flour. Sharp cheddar cheese – Sharp cheddar gives the crispettes their rich, savoury flavour. Grate the cheese yourself if possible for an even texture. Salt – Salt enhances the cheddar and balances the butter. Smoked paprika – Smoked paprika adds warmth and a subtle smoky flavour that works beautifully with the roasted tomatoes. Black pepper – Adds a gentle heat and earthy flavor. Use the smaller amount if you prefer a milder flavour, or the larger amount if you enjoy a little spice. Panko breadcrumbs – Panko gives the crispettes their distinctive texture. The larger, lighter crumbs help create a crisp finish without making the dough too dense.

What Equipment Is Needed?

You do not need specialist kitchen equipment for this recipe, but a few everyday tools will make the process easier, a large roasting tin for the tomatoes, pepper and garlic, a chopping board and sharp knife for preparing the vegetables, measuring scales and spoons for accurate ingredients, a food processor for blending the cheese crispette dough, a large saucepan or suitable roasting tin for heating the vegetable stock with the roasted vegetables, an immersion blender or countertop blender for making the soup smooth, two baking sheets lined with parchment paper for the crispettes, a fork or small spatula for flattening the crispettes before baking, a wire rack for cooling the crispettes, a soup ladle and serving bowls. If you do not have a food processor, you can work the softened butter, grated cheddar and dry ingredients together by hand until the dough comes together. The texture may be slightly different, but the crispettes will still be delicious.