Lentil and tomato soup

Lentil and tomato soup

This is a type of traditional Portuguese soup called ensopada. 
Bread is always placed in the bowl and it then soaks up the liquid, thickening the soup and making it
more substantial.
Serves 4 | Prep 7 mins
Cook 50 mins

3 tbsp olive oil
1 large onion, roughly chopped
2 cloves garlic, crushed
2 sticks of celery, including the leaves, finely chopped
300g carrot, peeled and diced
1 bay leaf
150g green or grey lentils, washed
1kg tomatoes, chopped
1 litre water
salt and pepper
8 slices of crusty bread (it’s fine if the bread is stale)
2 tbsp chopped parsley

1 Heat the oil in a heavy-based saucepan and fry the onion, garlic, celery and carrot over a moderate
heat for 7 minutes. Stir frequently so the ingredients cook evenly.

2 Add the bay leaf, lentils, tomatoes and water and bring to the boil. Cover and simmer for 40 minutes until the lentils are soft. Season to taste.

3 Lay slices of bread in the base of each soup plate or bowl. Ladle over the ensopada, sprinkle with the parsley and serve immediately.