Assunta’s Calabrese Bread Soup

Assents was our maid in Rome and this is a family favorite especially nice in the winter. She was a large lady that loved to laugh. This soup was one of her favorites and making it, for some reason, made her giddy happy. The soup made us happy too. This is my favorite tomato soup.

3 Tablespoons best fruity unfiltered olive oil plus a teaspoon per bowl. 

3 Cloves chopped garlic
1 Teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
4 cups very good chicken stock
Whole Italian San Marzano tomatoes, 28 ounce can
1/2 Cup Pinot Grigio wine
10 whole dry Mexican bay leaves (milder than Bay Laurel leaves) 
Sea salt as required
Black pepper
1 Loaf stale Ciabatta bread or other good bread
Garnish with fresh grated hard Italian cheese - any of the following would be good:
• Parmesan
• Grano Padano
• Romano
• Asiago

In a stock pot over medium heat, add olive oil and when the oil is hot, add chopped garlic and the crushed red pepper flakes. Cook 1 minute while stirring all the time. Add wine, chicken stock, tomatoes, and the bay leaves. Cook until the tomatoes are well softened. Correct the seasoning with salt and ground black pepper. Remove the bay leaves and discard.

Cut a piece of stale bread that generally covers most of the bottom of each bowl. Ladle the soup over the bread. Drizzle a teaspoon of olive oil in each bowl and serve. You can allow the soup to cool while bread soakes up the flavours. .