Spiced Tomato Soup & Herbed Pitas
As autumn arrives, hearty, soul-soothing soup starts becoming a dietary staple. Combined with sweet herby pitas, this tomato soup is comfort food fit for cool weather. Invest in a thermos so you can enjoy hot tomato soup on demand. Ever-versatile, soups can be enjoyed as easy starters for larger meals, well-balanced light dishes, or tasty snacks.
Ingredients
For Soup
2 tbsp olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
1 large red capsicum, chopped
Salt, pinch
2 cloves garlic, finely grated
1 chilli, finely grated (seeds removed)
1 piece (approx. 3cm) of ginger, finely grated
1 kilo fresh tomatoes, roughly chopped
2 ½ cups water
2 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp ground cumin
For Herbed Pitas
2 pitas
¼ cup butter, melted
1 clove garlic, finely diced
1 tsp dry red chilli flakes
1 tsp dry mixed herbs
Salt, to taste
Method
1. In a large saucepan, cook olive oil, onion, capsicum and a pinch of salt over low-medium heat under the ingredients are soft and tender.
2. Add the garlic, chilli, and ginger and continue to cook for another minute, stirring occasionally.
3. Increase the heat to a simmer and add the tomatoes and water. Stir in the coriander and cumin, then partially cover the saucepan with the lid and reduce to a simmer for 10 minutes.
4. While the soup is cooking, prepare the herbed pita bread. Preheat the oven to 200°C.
5. Place the pitas on a lined baking tray. Add all remaining ingredients to a bowl and combine well.
6. Brush the pitas with the topping, being sure to spread it evenly. Alternatively, use a spoon to dollop the topping onto the pitas and spread it out. Cut into strips and bake in the oven for 8-10 minutes until evenly browned and crispy.
7. While the pita bread is baking, it’s time to finish the soup. Once the soup has simmered for 10 minutes, take an immersion blender to puree until smooth.
Serve the soup hot with strips of herbed pita bread and enjoy!
