Ingredients

• 800g/1lb 8½oz plum tomatoes
• roughly chopped
• 1 red pepper
• halved
• de-seeded
• roughly chopped
• 2 cloves garlic
• roughly chopped
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• plus extra for drizzling
• 1 litre/1¾pints vegetable stock
• 1 small bunch fresh basil leaves
• torn
• 4 slices French bread
• toasted

Directions

• Preheat the oven to 220C/430F/Gas 7.
• Place the tomatoes and pepper into a roasting tin and drizzle over the olive oil. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper
• then roast in the oven for 45 minutes
• or until the tomatoes are soft and their skins lightly blackened in places.
• Pour the vegetable stock into the roasting tin with the vegetables and scatter over the basil leaves. Place the tin over a medium heat and bring to the boil
• cooking for 1-2 minutes.
• Allow the mixture to cool
• then pour into a food processor
• reserving a quarter of the vegetables
• and blend until smooth. Chop the reserved tomato and pepper.
• Season the soup with salt and freshly ground black pepper and transfer to the fridge for 20-30 minutes to chill.
• To serve
• pile the chopped vegetables into the centre of four serving bowls and spoon the soup around. Place the toasted French bread on top
• and drizzle over some olive oil. Serve.