Soup Base
28 ounces canned Italian plum tomatoes
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 cup very finely-chopped mixed herbs
1/2 cup olive oil
3 tablespoons white wine vinegar
3 tablespoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup diced white or red onion
3 cups chicken broth
3/4 teaspoon Tabasco sauce
1 teaspoon sugar (optional)
Pasta and Vegetables
1/2 cup finely chopped green bell pepper
3/4 cup peeled, finely chopped cucumber
1 cup tomato, cut in 1/4-inch dice
1/2 cup ditalini or tubetti, cooked, rinsed and drained
Garnish
Croutons
Freshly-grated Parmesan cheese
Chopped fresh parsley
This soup should be served cold at 35 to 45 degrees F. The vegetable and pasta
solids should not be added to the base until time of serving or they may become
soggy.
Soup Base
Process tomatoes, juice, garlic and herbs. Mix in a non-aluminum
bowl with olive oil, vinegar, lemon juice, salt, onion, stock, Tabasco and sugar.
Place in fridge allowing 4 hours for soup base to chill and marry flavors.
Prepare the vegetables and chill along with the pasta.
To serve
Soup bowls should be very cold. Stir the base well and ladle 6 ounces
of soup per bowl. Add a 2 tablespoons of blended vegetables and 2
tablespoons of pasta to each bowl. Garnish with a few croutons and sprinkle the
croutons with Parmesan and chopped parsley.