Roasted Tomato Soup with Croutons & TomaProvence
Serves 4-6
1 (28-ounce) can whole peeled tomatoes
1 small yellow onion, halved and thinly sliced
4 cloves garlic, peeled & smashed
½ teaspoon kosher salt
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
4 sprigs fresh thyme, plus leaves for garnish
8 ounces crusty sourdough bread, but into 1" cubes
½ teaspoon Italian seasoning or dried oregano
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 (32-ounce) box vegetable broth
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
4 ounces Point Reyes TomaProvence, grated (about 1 cup)
1 ounce Point Reyes Gouda, grated (about ¼ cup)
Preheat the oven to 425°F.
Pour tomatoes into a baking pan. Using a wooden spoon, break apart the whole tomatoes. Stir in onions, garlic, salt, pepper and red pepper flakes. Drizzle with 2 tablespoons olive oil and season with ½ teaspoon kosher salt, ¼ teaspoon black pepper, and ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes.
Roast in oven, stirring occasionally, until garlic is soft and the mixture has thickened, about 45 minutes.
Meanwhile, in a mixing bowl, combine cubed bread, Italian seasoning and 2 tablespoons olive oil. Mix thoroughly. Spread onto a parchment-lined sheet pan and put in oven. Stir once or twice while cooking. Cook for about 12-15 minutes total, until crisp and golden brown. Set aside.
After removing tomatoes from oven, carefully pour them into a pot over medium heat. Add vegetable broth and balsamic. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until the flavors have melded, about 10 minutes. Purée the soup in batches in a stand blender or with an immersion blender directly in the pot until smooth. Taste and season with more salt and pepper, as needed.
Spoon soup into ramekins for serving. Sprinkle with half the TomaProvence over the soup. Top with a single layer of croutons, covering the soup. Sprinkle with remaining TomaProvence and Gouda. Bake on the upper oven rack until the cheese is melted, 3-5 minutes. (You can speed this up by using the broiler).
Garnish with fresh thyme leaves. Serve hot.
