Tomato soup as an appetizer

For starters, cut the Tuscan bread into thick slices, then rub the surface with a clove of garlic to infuse it with flavour. Place the bread in a large bowl, cover it completely with the piping hot vegetable stock and leave it to stand for about thirty minutes until it has softened completely. Once soaked, gently squeeze the bread with your hands to remove any excess liquid and break it into rough pieces on a plate.

Now, take a large, heavy-based saucepan – ideally an earthenware or cast-iron pan – pour in half the extra virgin olive oil and gently fry the two remaining garlic cloves over a low heat after crushing them. As soon as the garlic turns golden, remove it from the pan to prevent it from imparting a bitter taste, then add the peeled tomatoes to the pan, crushing them thoroughly with the prongs of a fork. Season the sauce with a pinch of salt, a generous grinding of black pepper and a pinch of sugar, then leave the tomatoes to cook over a medium-low heat for about fifteen minutes.

Once this time has elapsed, add the squeezed and crumbled bread to the tomato sauce and stir vigorously straight away using a wooden spoon to combine the two mixtures. Take almost the whole bunch of basil, tear the leaves by hand to prevent them from turning black, and add them to the pan. Continue cooking over a very low heat for a further ten to fifteen minutes, stirring the mixture almost constantly to prevent the bread from sticking or burning to the bottom of the pan.

When the sauce has reached a thick, creamy and well-blended consistency, turn off the heat and leave it to rest, covered, in the pan for at least twenty minutes; ideally, let it cool completely. This resting period is essential to allow the flavours to blend together perfectly. Divide the mixture into small, single-portion aperitif bowls, and top each serving with Gran Soresina Snack&Mixa cubes, a final sprinkling of black pepper and a few fresh basil leaves.