I’m so excited about my summer garden. The produce is finally arriving and that means I can make my favorite dishes using fresh veggies. The other day I pulled tomatoes and made this Tomato and Bread Soup.
I’m really not a fan of tomatoes unless they are fresh from the garden. This soup is one of the highlights of summer. It’s my version of comfort food. Hot broth ladled over tomatoes, cheese and crusty bread and topped with a poached egg…How can you go wrong? I found this a long time ago in an old Food and Wine magazine and over the years I’ve made small changes to the recipe, adapting it to my kitchen. I am forever grateful to Ben Barker for the inspiration. My Italian friends are even amazed by this and that is quite a compliment!
On the surface it seems like a complicated recipe but really it’s easy to prepare all of the parts, even the poached egg, in advance, arrange it in a bowl, then ladle the hot broth over it to serve. It never fails to impress.
Summer Tomato and Bread Soup
This soup is so comforting to me. I vary the cheese according to my mood. I've given suggestions below. Pick one type of cheese or use all three - you can't go wrong.
Ingredients
- 1/2 pieces loaf of Crusty Italian Bread torn into 1” to 1/2 “
- 1-2 tablespoons of Olive Oil
- 1 Recipe Tomato Broth See link to the recipe below
- 1 ½ lbs Chopped Tomatoes: I use a mix of Heirloom Cherry, and Sungold
- 1 cup small Ball of Mozzarella cheese finely diced about ½
- 1 ½ Cup Shaved Asiago Pecorino Cheese or Mozzarella Cheese*
- leaves A handful of torn basil plus sprigs for garnish
- 6 Poached Eggs
Instructions
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Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl toss the bread and the olive oil together until the bread is coated. Spread on a baking sheet and toast for about 10 minutes, stirring halfway through until golden. Set aside to cool.
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Heat the Tomato Broth and keep warm. Poach the eggs and set aside on a paper towel lined plate. If you fry the egg it’s best to do it just before serving.
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Just before serving evenly divide the toasted bread, tomatoes, 1 Cup of cheese(s), and basil in the bottom of 6 soup bowls. Ladle the hot broth over, top with the poached or fried egg, garnish with the basil sprigs and serve.
Recipe Notes
CLICK HERE for the recipe Tomato Broth
I love the idea of adding an egg. Such richness! Yum!
Gorgeous! Gourmet! The dish (and you your photography) reinforces the allure of the Food & Wine recipe. P.s. Your poached egg is perfect, too. Julia Child would be proud =)
I just adore this chunky soup and everything in it. Perfect summer meal!!
Yeah the tomatoes are much better when they are super fresh. Right now they are not at their prime, but in summer when they are, I will be making this.
Such a marvelous soup!! Makes me yearn for summer tomatoes!!
You have done it again! I know my family would love this soup. We plant a lot of tomatoes in the summer, so I will be saving this for then. So delicious and yet so easy!
This sounds like a soup my mom would love!