Tomato Soup with Gougères

The recipe archive of the Patti Gelman Culinary Arts Center at JCC Manhattan has nineteen tomato soup recipes. We added eight more to the group from our personal recipe collections. After weeks of testing, this version emerged as our favorite. Nothing is more satisfying than a bowl of tomato soup with a cheesy bite. Grilled cheese is tried and true but our gougères, cheese-flavored puffs, are a real crowd-pleaser. The soup is best made during the summer when tomatoes overflow on market tables or are hanging from the vine. But because this soup is requested so often in our homes, we started making it during the winter with two 28-ounce cans of plum tomatoes with juice, which works beautifully with an added pinch of sugar and ½ cup of 2% milk.

SERVES 8

1 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for serving

2 large onions, finely chopped (about 2½ cups)

8 to 12 garlic cloves, minced (about 3 tablespoons)

Kosher salt

1 bunch fresh basil, stems and leaves separated (approximately 2 cups leaves)

4 pounds very ripe tomatoes, peeled, cored, and roughly chopped

½ cup freshly grated Parmesan (optional)

Gougères (recipe follows)

In a large heavy-bottomed pot, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onions and cook, stirring, until softened, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the garlic, season lightly with salt, and sauté until the onions are translucent and the garlic is softened, about 3 minutes.

Transfer about one-third of the mixture to a bowl and set aside. Tie basil stems into a bunch with unbleached kitchen twine. Add the tomatoes and basil stems to the pot, reduce the heat, and simmer until the mixture is sauce-like, about 15 minutes. Remove and discard the stems. Transfer the mixture to a food processor, blender, or food mill, purée, and return to the pot.

Add the reserved onion mixture to the pot. Chop 1½ cups of the basil leaves and stir them into the soup, adding a little more oil, if you like. Adjust the seasoning. Garnish each portion with a drizzle of olive oil, Parmesan if you like, and additional basil. Pass the gougères separately.

Gougères

Elegant yet simple, these cheesy puffs are made by adding cheese to a basic French pâte à choux (cream-puff pastry). Once you’ve conquered this recipe, you can experiment with the dough: profiteroles, éclairs, and beignets all lie ahead. You’ll feel like a real French chef!

MAKES ABOUT 20 GOUGÈRES

2 teaspoons dill seeds

½ cup water

¼ teaspoon kosher salt

4 tablespoons (½ stick) unsalted butter, cut into ¼-inch cubes

½ cup unbleached all-purpose flour

2 or 3 extra-large eggs

¾ cup grated Gruyère or Cheddar cheese

Preheat the oven to 375°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a small heavy skillet, toast the dill seeds over moderate heat, stirring, until fragrant and slightly darker, 3 to 4 minutes. Be careful not to burn them. Transfer seeds to a small bowl and cool. With a mortar and pestle or in an electric spice grinder, grind seeds coarsely. Set aside.

To make the pâte à choux, combine the water, salt, and butter in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat, stirring frequently. Remove the pan from the heat and add the flour all at once. Beat with a wooden spoon to create a smooth dough. Return the pan to medium heat and stir until the dough forms a ball.

Transfer the dough to the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. (A medium bowl with handheld mixer may also be used.) With the mixer on medium speed, add 2 eggs, one at a time, waiting until the first has been incorporated before adding the second. The batter should be stiff enough to hold soft peaks and fall softly from a spoon. If the batter is too stiff, beat another egg in a separate bowl and add to the batter, beating on high speed until you obtain the desired consistency. Stir the cheese and 1 teaspoon of the ground dill seeds into the mixture.

Use two spoons to shape the dough into 1-inch drops on the baking sheet, spacing them about 1 inch apart. Sprinkle the puffs with the remaining dill seeds.

Bake the puffs until golden brown, 20 to 25 minutes. Cool on the pan or on a rack. They are best served fresh out of the oven with the soup.

To make this soup into a pappa al pomodoro—tomato bread soup—stir 1 cup of dried ciabatta or baguette crumbs into the soup just before serving. Then sprinkle each portion with a drizzle of olive oil, additional bread crumbs, a basil leaf, and grated Parmesan.