Pillar Soup

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 onions
• 2 cloves garlic
• 2 carrots
• 2 stalks celery
• 1 zucchini
• 1 can diced tomatoes (400 g)
• 1.2 liters vegetable broth
• 100 g small pasta (e.g. orzo)
• 4 thick slices sturdy Italian bread
• salt and pepper to taste

Method

1. Finely chop the onions and garlic.
2. Dice the carrots, celery, and zucchini.
3. Heat the olive oil in a large pot and sauté onion and garlic for 3 minutes.
4. Add carrot, celery, and zucchini and cook for 5 minutes.
5. Add diced tomatoes and broth. Bring to a boil and simmer for 15 minutes.
6. Add the pasta and cook for another 8 minutes until tender.
7. Season with salt and pepper.
8. Toast the bread in the oven or toaster until firm and golden brown.
9. Ladle the soup into deep plates. Place four upright pieces of bread as pillars in the center of each plate, leaning slightly against each other.

Serving notes

• Serve without extra garnish, the bread pillars are the visual.
• Let the bread protrude slightly above the soup for the best silhouette.