Ingredients
Units
Scale
- 1/2 lb spicy italian sausage
- 1/2 medium sized onion, chopped
- 1 head of fennel, chopped
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 30 oz. cans tomato puree* (or two quarts of tomato juice)
- 4 Tbsp flour
- 2 Tbsp butter, room temperature
- 3/4 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp sugar
Instructions
- In a heavy pot over medium-high heat, cook the sausage. Use a spatula to break it into small pieces, and let some pieces darken significantly. Once the meat is cooked through, use a slotted spoon to remove the meat, leaving the grease in the pot.
- Lower the heat to medium, and add the onion and fennel to the pot. Cook, stirring ocassionally, until the fennel has softened (about 10 minutes).
- Add the bay leaf and tomato puree. Bring to a simmer and cook for 15 minutes.
- Remove the bay leaf, and blend the soup until smooth. Put through a fine mesh sieve or food mill.
- Rub flour and butter together into a smooth paste, and thin with a cup of the tomato mixture. Add to boiling soup and stir constantly.
- Boil for a couple of minutes to cook flour.
- Once the soup is thickened, add the salt, pepper, and sugar.
- Serve immediately, topped with fresh parmesan cheese and extra sausage, or store in an airtight container.
Notes
I used canned diced tomatoes and pureed them in the blender before starting.