Pumpkin soup

Ingredients:

• 1 big pumpkin (around 1 kg) – I prefer the Hokkaido or the butternut type
• 4 big potatoes – around 200gr
• At least 1l of vegetable broth
• 1 shallot
• 1 carrot
• 3 spoon of olive oil
• Salt
• Pepper
• Nutmeg

For the toasted bread and crunchy bacon:

• Old bread (or new)
• Bacon
• Thyme
• Pepper
• Garlic
• Butter
• Rosemary
• Salt
• Any other spice that you would like to add to the toasted bread

Steps

1. Switch on the oven to 180°
2. Prepare or warm up the vegetable broth. Note that the time for this recipe does not include the broth preparation
3. Chop the pumpkin into big pieces. To peel it you can do it with a sharp big knife or bake it in the oven to get softer pumpkinskin. I normally put the pumpkin peaces in the microwave for 3/5 mins. After peeling of the skin cur it in cubes of 1/2 cm
4. Peel the potatoes and cut them into small cubes
5. Cut the onion and the carrot in small peaces and leave them to fry on the olive oil for 3/4 minutes in a high-sided saucepan
6. Add the pieces of potatoes and pumpkin to the pan
7. Add broth until covering entirely the vegetables
8. Cover with a lid and let cook for around 30 mins at medium flame
9. Cut the bread into small cubes and place it on a baking tray
10. Cute the garlic in small pieces (I use a garlic presser)
11. Add the garlic, all the spices, salt and melted butter (as much as you like) on the bread pieces
12. Bake until the bread is crunchy and golden
13. Cut the bacon into small pieces and roast with a teaspoon of olive oil
14. When the soup is half cooked (around 15 mins) add salt and pepper
15. When the soup is ready, after around 30 mins, use a stick blender or put into a blender to smooth. You can decide the consistency you want and add vegetable broth if you want it less creamy and more liquid
16. Add nutmeg as you like
17. Serve on a bowl, with the toasted bread and crispy bacon on top and add a bit of olive oil to garnish

This is one of my favourites winter dishes. it’s so easy and so delicious to make! Try it and fall in love like I did some years ago!