Roasted tomatoes and sundried tomato pesto make this Roasted Tomato Soup all at once comforting and nourishing. Served with Mini Classic Grilled Cheese, this is perfect for when the cooler weather hits.
Preheat the oven to 200C / 400F / 180C fan forced. Line 2 large baking trays with foil and drizzle over half of the oil.
Cut the roma tomatoes in half and remove the core section at the top of each half. Peel the onions and chop them in half. Place the tomatoes and onions, cut side up in the baking trays then scatter the unpeeled garlic cloves among them. Drizzle over the remaining oil and sprinkle with salt.
Bake for 50 minutes. Cut the cherry tomatoes in half and add them to one of the baking trays for the last 10 minutes. Remove everything from the oven as soon as the cherry tomatoes are just starting to blister.
Transfer a few of the cherry tomatoes to a plate and set aside (these will be used for garnish)
Squeeze the roasted garlic out of the skins. Discard the skins, then add the garlic, tomatoes, onions, the juice from the baking trays, pesto and stock to a blender (you may need to do this in 2 batches).
Blend to the consistency you like. Then pour the soup into a large saucepan. Add the oregano, parsley, and salt and pepper to taste then heat for 5 minutes.
For the mini grilled cheese
Cut 24 thinnish slices from the bread stick. Sit some cheddar and mozzarella on top of 12 slices (don’t be shy, make sure to cover the bread with the cheese). Sprinkle with a little salt and pepper, then top with the remaining slices of bread
While the grill is heating over medium heat, brush both sides of the mini sandwiches with melted butter.
Sit the sandwiches in a single layer on top of your grill, then place a large baking tray on top and weigh them down with some plates. Let them grill for 5 minutes on one side, then turn them over and grill them for 5 minutes on the other until they’re golden on the outside and the cheese has melted
To serve
Pour the soup into serving bowls, and top with the remaining cherry tomatoes and some basil. Serve with the mini grilled cheese on the side.