Recipe: Rec: Thick Bread & Tomato Soup

Great minds think alike...or maybe it's just that this early fall weather is turning our minds to warm, comforting soups (yes, even in California!). I just printed this off the Food Network site this morning:

THICK BREAD & TOMATO SOUP
(Courtesy of Drago)
4 cups Vine ripe tomatoes, skins & seeds removed, chopped
2 cups tomato puree
4 cups vegetable broth or water
4 cups country bread, cut into cubes
1/2 cup celery, chopped fine
1/2 carrot, chopped fine
1 teaspoon fresh rosemary, chopped fine
1 teaspoon fresh sage, chopped fine
6 cloves whole garlic, peeled
1/2 cup fresh basil, chopped fine
6 tablespoons olive oil
Salt
Fresh ground black pepper

In a medium stock pot, add olive oil and whole garlic. Saute until golden. Add
rosemary and sage. Stir for 20 seconds then add the tomato puree and fresh
chopped tomato, broth, bread, celery, and carrot. Salt and pepper to taste.
Let cook on a medium falme for approximately 45 minutes. Using a hand blender,
whip tomato mixture from time to time until the soup becomes creamy. Add water
if the soup is too thick. Add chopped basil, mix to incorporate, and remove from the fire.

Ladle soup into bowls, sprinkle with fresh grated parmesan cheese, drizzle with
a few drops of extra virgin olive oil and serve hot.