Romano Pepper Soup

Ingredients

• 1/4 onion, chopped
• 2 celery sticks, sliced
• 1 carrot, cubed
• 2 red 'Romano' peppers, sliced
• 200 g 'passata' strained tomatoes
• 20 g tomato paste
• 2 cups vegetable stock
• olive oil
• salt
• chili powder
• black pepper, ground

Preparation

1. Roast the peppers in olive oil, with some salt, in a frying pan at medium heat until tender - 15 minutes (add a splash of water from time to time if the peppers start to burn).
2. Meanwhile, roast the other veggies in olive oil for 10 minutes at high heat in a medium pot.
3. Add the roasted peppers, the strained tomatoes, the tomato paste, and the veggie stock to the pot with the vegetables. Bring to a boil.
4. Lower the heat and cook for 1/2 hr stirring from time to time.
5. Strain the soup using a strainer or a food mill with a fine mesh.
6. Re-add the strained soup to the pot and resume cooking for another 1/2 hr stirring occasionally.
7. Add chili powder to taste and adjust the salt.
8. Serve with a sprinkle of freshly ground black pepper.