Tomato and polenta dumplings soup

A light tomato soup with polenta dumplings with plenty of roasted vine tomatoes, classic vitamins and an antioxidant-packed soup for every day.

Course Dinner, Lunch, Soup

Cuisine Mediterranean

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 45

Total Time 55

Servings servings

Calories 338kcal

Author Ramona Sebastian

Cost £3

Equipment

1 oven tray or a sheet pan
1 hand mixer blender
1 pot
1 pan

Ingredients

For the soup

900 g vine tomatoes (31.75 oz) (organic)
2 medium onions (brown or red) (organic)
1 Litre water ( 34 fl oz) (or vegetable stock)
2 small carrots (organic)
4 cloves garlic (organic)
2 medium peppers (red) (organic)
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar (optional)
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 pinch salt

For the polenta

500 ml water ( 17 fl oz) (use a kettle to boil)
150 g polenta flour (1.2 cups /5.3 oz) dry, fine or coarse
1 tablespoons dried or fresh rosemary (organic)
½ teaspoon salt
1 pinch pepper freshly ground
3-4 tablespoons creme fraiche (optional) do not include for a vegan option

Metric - US Imperial

Instructions

Soup preparations

Preheat oven at 180 C/ 350 F/ Gas Mark 4.
Peel and wash all the vegetables. Peel only 2 garlic cloves the rest leave them with skin on.
Cut tomatoes into quarters or halves, finely chop half rosemary, peppers, carrots and onions cut into chunks, 2 cloves of garlic (leave the skin on). Put all in a baking tray, toss them and sprinkle some salt, drizzle olive oil and freshly grind some black pepper. Place in the oven and roast for 25-30 min. At this point, you can increase the oven temperature to 200 C/ 400 F/ Gas mark 6 if you wish. Don’t forget to sprinkle the balsamic vinegar if you choose to add it. It’s really nice I do recommend you try it.

Making the polenta

While the vegetables are roasting nicely, place a medium size pan on a medium fire, put the 500 ml boiling water from the kettle in, some salt, and the remainder of the rosemary needles finely chopped. When the water begins to boil again which should happen pretty much straight away, sprinkle in the polenta flour little by a little while stirring continuously with the other hand (with a wooden spoon) until it all goes in. Keep on stirring so that it doesn't form a crust. This should be ready in 5-7 min.

Back to the soup again

Place all the roast veggies into a cooking pan, on medium fire, add the boiling water or veg stock (1l) but before, please don’t forget to squeeze the garlic cloves out of their skin. With the help of an electric hand blender, blend it all nicely until it becomes nice 'n smooth. Season well. Place on med/high heat and simmer for another 15 min. This is what will give this soup a nice deep colour and a rich taste.
Take the polenta into spoonful dumplings and spoon them into the soup. Cook for 5 extra minutes if you wish.
Serve the soup in a bowl or deep plates and why not, spoon in a small dollop of creme fraiche if you wish. Totally optional but thats so delicious.

Notes

Polenta can also be grilled or fried in a little butter if you wish to make this dish even more interesting.

You may add some roasted garlic and onion to the polenta along with some parmesan or cheese you may like. Add these just before taking the polenta out, at the very end just before the last mix.

Enjoy!

Nutrition