Since it's still raining here...

With all this cold, rainy weather, I just can't help but make soup a few times a week. Here's another favorite soup recipe.

Tomato Pasta Basil Soup

3 lg ripe tomatoes
2 tbsp olive Oil
1 med onion, chopped
1 cloves garlic, minced
1 sm red pepper, finely chopped (optional)
4 c (1 litre) vegetable stock
3 tbsp tomato paste
salt and pepper
1 tsp sugar
1/4 c fresh basil or 1 1/2 tsp dried basil
1 c small shell pasta or macaroni
extra fresh basil leaves

Cut a small cross in the top of each tomato. Place in a bowl and cover with boiling water for about 2 minutes; drain and cool. Peel skin downward from the cross and discard. Roughly chop flesh. Heat oil in a large heavy-based pan. Add onion, garlic and red pepper; cook, stirring, for 10 minutes or until all ingredients are soft. Add tomatoes and cook another 10 minutes.
Add the stock, tomato paste, salt, pepper and sugar. Cover and simmer for 15 minutes. remove from the heat, add the basil. Allow to cool. Process in batches, in a food processor or blender, until smooth. (I use an immersion blender and blend right in the pot). Return the mixture to the pan and reheat gently.
Cook the pasta separately in boiling salted water until tender; drain. Add to soup and heat through. Serve sprinkled with fresh basil leaves.