In this column we share the cuisine and recipes of Italy and our Italian American communities. Each month we feature recipes curated from our research and those shared by LGI readers.
Food and cooking are important aspects of our cultural identity and sharing recipes is one way for us to connect to our roots and to one another!
We invite you to share your family recipes and the stories behind them with us! Please email your favorite recipes and photos to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. before August 10. For more recipes like this, subscribe to La Gazzetta Italiana.
Buon appetito!
dalla cucina di Italianfoodforever.com
Questa è una ricetta di zuppa perfetta per la stagione autunnale. Per prepararlo si usano pomodori maturi e poi arrostiti. Il brodo è fatto con pollo. Vengono utilizzati anche cipolle e finocchi. Questa zuppa è semplice da preparare e non richiede molto tempo. Secondo lo chef, si può servire la zuppa ben calda o anche a temperatura ambiente.
“When August rolls around, I always know I’ll be looking for ways to use up the baskets of fresh, ripe tomatoes we pick from our garden. There is nothing better than the flavor and aroma of ripe tomatoes just picked from the garden whose taste is enhanced by the heat of the summer sun. With my summer tomato bounty, I make everything from fresh tomato pasta sauces, roasted tomatoes that are as sweet as candies, tomato jam, and stuffed tomatoes with savory fillings. I also make soups I can serve at room temperature such as this easy, great summer recipe.”
Ingredients (suggested measurements):
24 Medium-large plum tomatoes
1 Large sweet onion
1 Large fresh fennel bulb
4 Cloves garlic
3 T. Fresh chopped thyme
¼ C. Chopped fresh basil
Salt & Pepper
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Chicken broth
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Prepare 2 large baking sheets by covering them with aluminum foil. Cut the tomatoes in half and lay them cut side up on one of the baking sheets. Finely chop the thyme with two of the garlic cloves and sprinkle this over the tomatoes. Drizzle the cut side of the tomatoes with a little olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Peel the onion and cut into one-inch slices, brush both sides with a little olive oil and place on the other baking sheet. Cut the fennel in half and remove the core. Cut off the frond stems and then cut off the fennel leaves, toss them in a little olive oil and place them on the baking sheet with the onions. Season the onions and fennel with a little salt and pepper. Place both baking sheets in the oven and bake until the vegetables are softened and beginning to brown. The tomatoes will take about 40 minutes and the onions and fennel may take up to an hour. Place the vegetables into a food processor and pulse until you have a thick chunky mixture. Heat another two tablespoons of olive oil in a heavy saucepan and cook the other two garlic cloves, finely minced until fragrant. Add the tomato mixture, the chopped basil and just enough broth to loosen the soup. (I use about one cup of broth.) Bring the mixture to a boil and then reduce the heat to a simmer, season with salt and pepper and cook for an additional 10 minutes to meld the flavors, adding additional broth if the soup becomes too thick. Allow the soup to come to room temperature before serving. Serve the soup at room temperature in individual bowls topped with your garnish of choice. I mix two tablespoons of pesto with a tablespoon or two of olive oil and drizzle this mixture on top before serving.
Buon Appetito!
