Tomato Garlic Soup w/ Cheese Tortellini

I know we've talked about this before, but I just love it when I get the chance to EXCLAIM! at how much I love the smell of garlic on my fingers.  That's right.  I get excited when the scent of a stinking rose bouquet permeates my skin and sticks around for a whole day or so.  Even after multiple washings.  And just for good measure, I may or may not dab a little bit of that sticky balm behind each ear when I'm done mincing a good-sized pile.  So, it probably goes without saying that any soup with a Garlic Broth base, is a soup meant for me.  Don't skip out on making the broth.  Seriously.  You may look at the (double-) recipe and think "naaaaah."  Don't be hasty.  Don't jump to conclusions.  It's actually super simple and takes almost no time at all to make both the broth and the soup.  But the flavor. Ooooh, the FLAVOR!  Rich and garlicky and creamy broth (yes, I said creamy broth...I don't know if those two words normally go together, but it works in this case) with sexy bites of cheese-filled pasta.

Tomato Garlic Soup w/ Cheese Tortellini

ever-so-slightly adapted from Moosewood Restaurant Cooks at Home

serves 6-8

6 c. Simple Garlic Broth (see recipe below)

2 c. undrained canned tomatoes (I used diced), or 4 medium fresh tomatoes (~3 c. chopped)

9 oz. fresh or frozen cheese-filled Tortellini

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freshly grated Parmesan

chopped fresh parsley
freshly ground black pepper

In a saucepan, bring the garlic broth to a simmer.  While the broth heats, chop the tomatoes (or use diced like I did).  Add the tomatoes to the broth, return it to a boil, and simmer 10-15 mins.  I puréed the soup with my immersion blender at this point.

In a separate pot, cook the tortellini in boiling water until ad dente (read package directions).  Drain. 

When ready to serve, place the tortellini in individual serving bowls and ladle the soup over them.  Serve topped w/ grated cheese and chopped parsley and a grinding of black pepper.

Simple Garlic Broth

makes ~6 c.

8 c. vegetable stock, or 8 c. water + 2 cubes vegetable bouillon

3 Tbs. minced garlic (1 large or 2 small heads)

2 Tbs. olive oil

½ tsp. paprika (I used smoked paprika)

1 sprig fresh sage

1 sprig fresh thyme

several sprigs fresh parsley

salt and ground black pepper, to taste

In a covered pot, bring the stock or water to a boil.  In a soup pot on low heat, gently sauté garlic in olive oil until golden, taking care not to let it brown.  Add the boiling stock or water with bouillon.  Stir in the paprika.  Tie the fresh herbs in a bundle or just throw 'em in and fish 'em out later like I did and add to pot. 

Bring the broth to a boil and simmer for 15 minutes, or up to 30 for a more intense flavor.  You know I went for the full 30! The garlicky-er the better!  Remove herbs and season with salt and pepper.

I have to ask.  Have you seen that Wendy's commercial?  The one where two guys are sitting at a table eating chicken sandwiches and the one guys asks the other what his tastes like and he says "chicken".  Then he asks  the other guy what his tastes like and he slaps him.  And the guy says "that sounds good!"

Yeah.  That's kinda what this soup tastes like.  I cannot watch that commercial...or even think of it without laughing. I love that guy!  "You got yourself a sandwich, sir!" Ha ha ha ha ha...

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*Presto Pasta Nights is celebrating its 4th birthday this week!  Join the party by sending your pasta/noodle dishes to PPN creator, Ruth at Once Upon a Feast this week!