Red Pepper & Tomato Soup with Parmesan Crisps

Red Pepper and Tomato Soup with Parmesan Crisps

Time: 1 hour (approximately, maybe less)
Effort: Medium
Serves: 4

Ingredients
4 large red peppers
4 medium sized ripe red tomatoes
1 tbsp Balsamic vinegar (red)
Water as needed
Salt & pepper
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
4 sprigs of fresh curley parsley for garnish

Fill a large saucepan with water and bring to a boil. While boiling, add the red peppers and let boil for about 10 minutes - keep turning them so that all sides will have been in the boiling water. Remove them into a bowl. Meantime, add the tomatoes into the boiling water, then turn the burner off but leave them in the water. Peel the skins off the red peppers (they should come off easily) and cut the stem off, remove the seeds and membranes. Place them in a bowl. Remove the tomatoes from the water and peel them (again, the skin should just slip off). Cut the tops off and cube them. Place the tomatoes in a food processor and puree, then turn the mixture into a meshed sieve over a large bowl. Using the back of a wooden spoon, force the tomato puree through the sieve so that all you are left with is a dry pulp. Set aside. Place the red peppers in the food processor and puree. Turn the puree into the sieve and repeat as you did with the tomatoes. Pour the whole mixture into a medium saucepan and add the Balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper to taste and a little water if you find it too thick. Do not over-thin it! Simmer on medium/low heat until ready to serve.

Heat oven to 450oF. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. Sprinkle 1/4 of the parmesan onto the sheet - approx. 4" long by 3/4" wide. Repeat with the rest of the cheese allowing enough space in between. Bake until bubbly and slightly browned. (Watch closely as they will brown very quickly!) Remove from oven and cool. Using a cake spatula, gently remove them - careful as they are brittle! 

Serve the soup hot or cold with a Parmesan crisp and decorate with a sprig of parsley.