Ingredients
- 1 tbsp Olive Oil
- 1 cup Celery finely diced
- 1 cup Carrot finely diced
- 1 cup Onion finely diced
- 28 oz Tomatoes, canned, whole (in juice) with juice
- 1 tsp Thyme, Fresh
1/4 cups Basil- 3
1/2 cups Chicken Broth, Low Sodium - 1 medium Bay Leaves
- 2 tbsp Butter, Unsalted
- 2 tbsp Flour, All-purpose
1/3 cups Pecorino Romano grated- 1
3/4 cups Milk, 2% warmed - 1 pinch Salt to taste
- 1 pinch Black Pepper to taste
Steps
- 1 Heat a large skillet over medium heat, then add the oil, celery, carrots and onions; cook 5 to 6 minutes, or until golden. Add to slow cooker.
- 2 Pour the juice of the tomatoes into the slow cooker, then roughly crush the tomatoes with your hands; add to slow cooker. Then add chicken (or vegetable) broth, a Parmesan or Romano cheese rind (if using - optional), thyme, basil, and bay leaf.
- 3 Cover and cook on LOW for 6 hours, until the vegetables get soft and the flavors blend (you can also make this on the stove top: just simmer it in a big pot on low for about 1 1/ 2- 2 hours).
- 4 Remove the cheese rid and, using an immersion blender, blend the soup until smooth (or you can carefully do this in small batches in the blender).
- 5 Melt the butter over low heat in a large skillet and add the flour. Stir constantly with a whisk for 4 to 5 minutes. Slowly whisk in about 1 cup of the hot soup, then add the 1 3/4 cups of warmed milk and stir until smooth. Pour back into the slow cooker and stir, add the grated Pecorino cheese and adjust salt and pepper, to taste.