This spiced pumpkin soup will warm you up on a crisp autumn day.
Ingredients
1 medium pumpkin, about 5 cups of cooked pumpkin (or you could also use a butternut squash)
1 shallot, finely chopped
1 carrot, finely chopped
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
1 vegetable stock cube
½ cup dry white wine
6 cups water (+ more if needed)
½ cinnamon stick
12 whole cloves
5 cherry, grape or datterini tomatos, skins removed
½ cup Parmesan cheese, grated (optional)
Generous pinch of salt and freshly ground pepper
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C) and line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
Cut the pumpkin in half and discard the seeds. Cut each half into four chunks and place on the lined cookie sheet. Bake until soft and you can insert a fork all the way through the flesh; about 30 minutes. Take the tray out of the oven and cool on the counter.
Heat two tablespoons extra virgin olive oil in a pan, add the chopped shallot and sauté over medium-low heat. Add the garlic and continue cooking for 1 minute, stirring occasionally.
Now add the chopped carrots, white wine and 1 cup water along with the vegetable stock cube. Stir the cube around until dissolved. Add the rest of the water, tomatoes, cloves and crumble the cinnamon into the pan. Cover, bring to a boil then lower to a simmer for 10 minutes. Now that the pumpkin has cooled enough to handle, peel off the skin and add it to the pot. Continue to simmer for 10 minutes.
Once the vegetables are soft, add the mixture to the blender in small batches and pulse until smooth. Or, use an immersion blender and blend it directly in the pot.
Add the parmesan cheese.
If the soup is too thick add ½ cup increments of water, to achieve the desired soup consistency.
Ladle the soup into bowls and top with balsamic vinegar or pesto croutons. Serve immediately. Buon appetito!
Recipe by Italicana Kitchen at https://italicanakitchen.com/spiced-pumpkin-soup/