Smoky Tomato Soup with Cheesy Spring Onion Dumplings

ingredients

• 60ml (1/4 cup) extra virgin olive oil
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 1 sprig rosemary, leaves removed and chopped
• 1 heaped Tbsp tomato paste
• 800g (1 large can or 2 x 400g cans) whole peeled tomatoes, tomatoes and juice separated
• 2 tsp smoked paprika
• 1/2 - 1 tsp red chilli flakes
• 6 cups vegetable stock
• 1 parmesan rind (optional)
• Handful grated cheese, to serve (optional)
• Handful finely chopped spring onions, to serve (optional)

Cheese and spring onion dumplings

• 150g (1 cup) plain flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• Black pepper
• 30g (2 Tbsp) butter, chopped
• 50g ( 1/2 cup) grated cheddar cheese
• 2 spring onions, finely chopped
• 1 egg
• 80ml (1/3 cup) milk

method

1. Heat a large wide pot or Dutch oven on medium-low. When hot, add 60ml (1/4 cup) of olive oil along with the onion and cook for 6-8 minutes until soft. Add the garlic, rosemary, tomato paste and stir for 2-3 minutes until fragrant and the paste begins to caramelise. Add the tomatoes (without the juice) along with paprika and chilli flakes and cook for 5-7 minutes on medium-low heat, leaving it to cook for intervals of 1-2 minutes before stirring to encourage the tomatoes to caramelise. Pour in the stock and parmesan rind if using, cover and cook for 15 minutes on low heat.

2. Meanwhile, make the dumplings by combining the flour, baking powder, salt and a good grind of black pepper in a bowl. Rub the butter into the flour with your fingertips, until the mixture is coarse and sandy (no need to break up the butter too much). Stir in cheese and spring onions and combine well. Beat the egg with the milk and pour into the flour mixture. Stir until just combined.

3. Remove the parmesan rind from the soup and discard. Blend it until it is smooth, using a stick blender or in a food processor.

4. Using a large tablespoon or ice cream scoop, very gently drop balls of the dough, about the size of a golf ball, into the soup. They will expand greatly during cooking so space them apart. Cover and cook on medium-low heat for 15-20 minutes. Try not to open the lid during cooking as the steam helps the dumplings puff up. Insert a toothpick or bamboo skewer to check that the dumplings are cooked through. It should come out relatively clean, a few crumbs are OK, but it shouldn’t be gooey. If they’re not ready yet, pop the lid back on and cook for another 3-5 minutes.

5. To serve, ladle the soup with a dumpling or two into a serving bowl. Top with a drizzle of olive oil, and scatter with extra cheese and spring onions. If you have any leftovers, reheat the dumplings and the soup separately, to avoid overcooking the dumplings.