Fusilli Pasta Soup

Call it best of both worlds - I love fusilli pasta and he loves tomato soup! Such a warming soup for a cold night :-)

Well, it has been 17 days since I posted something new here! That would be the 2nd longest break, since I tried putting together this blog. A lot has been happening and of late, I have not been cooking much, mostly because I was unwell and yes, as they say - all is well that ends well! As long as I am back and determined to keep the blog going, I will cook and click.

Today Pradeep has an official party to attend (I envy him whenever he gets to attend a party without me, coz I so miss good food!). The party would get over around 9 and he was kind enough to mention that he would be totally stuffed by the time he gets back home and that he would prefer a light dinner! Anytime! :-) I am so happy when I do not have to do elaborate cooking. Now what would that be? Soup definitely, but with what? I had a bit of fusilli pasta lying in my kitchen cupboard; that will not suffice me for any main dish. So I went ahead with my search for pasta soups and as usual bumbed into one, which apparently is an Italian favorite, called Zuppa. Yes the name definitely sounds interesting and the ingredients list is a lot more interesting, in the sense, it just uses very basic stuff that an avergae cooking enthusiast will easily have in her kitchen cupboard. Although I did not have 2 ingredients what the original recipe suggested, I think I could pretty well manage a tasty soup out of what I had.

I have spoken about my love for fusilli pasta; do not know if I admire the shape more or the end product after I cook it. It's been a while since I promised Pradeep a tomato soup, and it so happens that now is the time! :-)

Ingredients:

Fusilli pasta - 1 Cup
Onion - 1 small, roughly chopped
Garlic - 6 cloves, roughly chopped
Dried chilies - 2, roughly chopped
Olive oil - 2 tablespoon
Tomatoes - 2 medium, pureed
Fresh cream - 1 tablespoon
Italian herbs - 2 tablespoon
Freshly ground pepper - 1/2 tablespoon or as per taste
Salt to taste

Preparation:

1. In a mortar or blender, coarsely grind together the onion, garlic and chilies. Keep aside.

2. In a wide mouthed pan, heat olive oil in medium flame. Saute the groud mixture, add the tomato puree, pasta and about 4 cups of water. Increase to high and let it boil.

3. Once pasta is cooked, lower the flame to low, add the fresh cream, stirring to ensure the soup doesn't boil further. Cook for another 5 min

4. Add salt, pepper and the herbs; mix well to combine.

5. Serve warm as it is or if you may wish with homemade croutons.