Basil and tomato bread soup

Ingredients

12 very ripe tomatoes
2 tbsp. olive oil
2 tbsp. crushed garlic
3 cups vegetable stock
4 thick slices of bread
1 cup fresh basil leaves, torn in half
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Grated Parmesan cheese, to serve

Directions

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Score a cross in the skin on the base of each tomato and boil tomatoes for 5 minutes. Drain, cool and peel away tomato skins. Cut tomatoes into quarters, discarding skin.

Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add tomatoes and vegetable stock and simmer, uncovered, for 30 minutes or until tomatoes are very soft.

Remove and discard crusts from bread. Cut remaining bread into rough cubes. Add bread, basil, salt and pepper to saucepan and stir for 3 minutes or until heated through. Serve soup in bowls with a sprinkling of pepper and Parmesan cheese.

Serves 6