Tomato soup and crusty bread. The perfect meal for a cool fall day.

Ingredients

• 2 onions, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 2 Tbs extra-virgin olive oil
• 6 pounds ripe, red tomatoes, quartered
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp sugar
• 3 fresh thyme sprigs
• 1 bay leaf
• black pepper, freshly ground
• ¼ cup basil leaves, chopped
• pinch of cayenne pepper

Directions

1. Heat the olive oil in a large pot, over a medium heat. Cook the onions and garlic until the onions are soft and just turning gold.
2. Add the tomatoes, salt, sugar, thyme, bay leaf, and basil. Stir and bring to a boil over a medium-high heat.
3. Cook, uncovered, for 15 minutes. The tomatoes should be thoroughly cooked and disintegrating.
4. Let cool until the pot is easy to handle.
5. Put the soup in a blender or food processor in small batches. Thoroughly puree the soup. (You may want to strain the soup to remove any seeds or skin after processing.)
6. Taste and add the black and cayenne pepper.
7. Reheat and serve.

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