Tomato soup with cheesy topper recipe

Method

1. Preheat the oven to gas 6, 200°C, fan 180°C. Line a baking tray with baking paper.
2. Heat ½ tbsp oil in a saucepan over a medium heat. Add the soff ritto, pepper and thyme. Cover and cook for 10 mins, stirring occasionally, until starting to soften.
3. Add the sugar and cook for 2 mins before stirring through the passata, stock cube and 100ml water. Bring to the boil and cook, uncovered, for 10 mins, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables have softened. Blitz with a stick blender until smooth.
4. Meanwhile, mix the Cheddar and Parmesan. Sprinkle 6 circles roughly the diameter of your soup bowl in an even 1mm thick layer onto the prepared baking trays. Bake for 13-15 mins until deep golden, bubbling and firm. Set aside to cool completely.
5. Brush the remaining oil over the bread and cook in a griddle pan over a high heat for 2-3 mins on each side until char lines appear. Rub the cut side of the garlic over the surface of the bread.
6. Ladle the soup into bowls, top with a grind of black pepper, the parsley and a cheesy crust. Use your spoon to smash the crust into the soup and serve with the garlic bread.

• Tip: To make this dish veggie, remove the Parmesan and increase the Cheddar by 30g.

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• Freezing and defrosting guidelines

  Freeze soup only. In order to enjoy optimum flavour and quality, frozen items are best used within 3 months of their freezing date. For more tips on freezing and defrosting food, read our article Love Your Freezer.