CREAMY OVEN ROASTED TOMATO SOUP WITH BRIE TOASTS

Vegetarian|Ciao Bella|Soups and Chowders

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Ingredients

1 large onion, chopped into 23” pieces

8 large garlic cloves, cut in half if very thick

10 cups tomatoes, cored and rough chopped into large chunks (garden tomatoes are best)

3 carrots, chopped into 3” pieces

1 small red bell pepper, chopped into 3” pieces

1 small yellow bell pepper, chopped into 3” pieces

1 small green bell pepper, chopped into 3” pieces

1 ½ teaspoons salt

1 teaspoon black pepper

2 teaspoons Dish off the Block Ciao Bella Italian Spice Blend

½ cup olive oil

1-1 ½ cups heavy cream

Basil leaves for garnish

The Brie Toasts:

1 large French baguette, cut in half length wise and cut into 6” pieces

1 large wedge brie cheese

2-3 tablespoons olive oil

Instructions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees and line a very large rimmed baking sheet with foil (or 2 smaller sheets).

Spread the onions, garlic, tomatoes, carrots, and all of the peppers in an even layer on the baking sheet. Season all over with the salt, black pepper, and Italian seasoning. Drizzle the olive oil evenly over the top. Bake for 1 hour, tossing the veggies every 15 minutes, so they cook evenly.

Place the entire veggie mixture and any juices that have developed in a food processor or blender. Slowly pulse, so the hot liquid does not erupt out of the top of your food processor or blender and then increase speed. Process until smooth.

Place the puréed soup into a Dutch oven or soup pot and add 1 cup of the heavy cream and stir to combine. Add as much more of the cream as desired to create a thick rich ‘soupy’ consistency. The amount will vary depending on how juicy your tomatoes are. Keep warm on low heat until ready to serve.

To make the brie toasts, place ¼” thick slices of the brie over the tops of each slice of bread. Place them on a rimmed baking sheet lined with foil and drizzle the olive oil over the tops. Bake at 400 degrees for 6-8 minutes until the brie is melty and the bread is toasty!

To serve, place the hot soup in a bowl and garnish with basil leaves. Serve with the ooey gooey brie bread for dipping. Chow down!!