Panera Country Bread And Tomato Soup With Mashed Basil Oil

Total Time: 25 mins Preparation Time: 10 mins Cook Time: 15 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 8
• 1/2 cup fresh basil leaf, packed
• 3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
• salt & freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 3 large garlic cloves, peeled and thinly sliced
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 2 (28 ounce) cans whole canned tomatoes or 12 roma tomatoes, peeled
• 1 quart water or 1 quart vegetable stock
• 1/4 cup dry red wine (burgundy, merlot, pinot grigio or shiraz are all acceptable)
• 1 loaf country bread, torn into bite-size pieces

Recipe

• 1 mash the basil well with 1/2 cup of the oil and season with salt and pepper; set aside.
• 2 heat the remaining 1/4 cup oil in a large saucepan over medium-low heat.
• 3 cook the garlic, red pepper and oregano just until the garlic begins to sizzle.
• 4 crush the tomatoes with your hands over the saucepan, making sure to include all of the juice.
• 5 add the water or stock and red wine.
• 6 bring to a boil.
• 7 reduce heat and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes.
• 8 stir in the bread and remove from heat.
• 9 serve immediately, drizzling the soup generously with the mashed basil oil.