Roasted Tomato and Basil Soup With Oven Baked Grilled Cheese Empanadas
Intensely flavorful and super healthy homemade roasted tomato soup is elevated to a new level with the addition of sweet oven baked grilled cheese empanadas.
Ingredients
Soup:
- 3 lb ripe plum tomatoes, cut in half lengthwise
- 6 tbs extra virgin olive oil, divided
- 1 tbs kosher salt
- 1½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 2 cups yellow onions (about 2 small onions), chopped
- 6 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 tbs unsalted butter
- ¼ tsp crushed red pepper flakes
- 1 (28 oz) can plum tomatoes with their juices
- 4 cups fresh basil leaves, packed (plus extra for topping)
- 1 tsp fresh thyme leaves
- 4 cups chicken stock, vegetable stock or water
- 3 tbs brown sugar (optional)
- heavy cream for serving (optional)
Grilled Cheese Empanadas:
- 2 sheets puff pastry, defrosted
- ½ cup cream cheese, at room temperature
- 1 cup Gruyerre cheese, shredded
- 1 tbs honey
- pinch of salt and pepper
- 1 large egg
- 2 tbs milk
- flaky sea salt for topping
Instructions
Soup:
- Preheat oven to 400 °F. Toss the tomatoes with 4 tablespoons of the olive oil, salt and pepper. Spread the tomatoes in one layer on a baking sheet and roast for 45 minutes.
- When the tomatoes are about 15 minutes from being done, heat the remaining olive oil and butter in a large stock pot over medium heat until the butter is just melted. Add the onions, garlic and red pepper flakes and sauté until the onions begin to brown, about 10 minutes. Add the canned tomatoes, basil, thyme and chicken broth (vegetable stock or water). Add the oven roasted tomatoes with their juices, bring to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer uncovered for about 40 minutes.
- Allow to cool slightly then blend until smooth. Return to the stock pot, re-warm slightly and add the brown sugar. Stir until blended. Taste for seasonings. Serve hot or cold with a sprinkle of fresh basil and a drizzle of heavy cream (optional).
Grilled Cheese Empanadas:
- Preheat oven to 400 °F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a small bowl combine the cream cheese, Gruyerre cheese, honey, salt and pepper and mix to combine. In another small bowl, whisk together the egg and milk.
- Lay one sheet of puff pastry out on a lightly floured work surface. Roll out slightly to about ¼ inch thickness. Using a 3 inch round cookie cutter, cut out 9 circles. Place the circles on the prepared baking sheet and top each one with about 1-1½ tsp of the cheese mixture. Be careful not to overfill to prevent the cheese from leaking out.
- Brush the edges of the puff pastry circles lightly with the egg wash. Fold each circle over itself to form a half moon shaped empanada. Press the edges with a fork to seal securely. Repeat with remaining pastry and cheese filling (*see note for make ahead instructions). Brush each empanada with egg wash and sprinkle with coarse sea salt. Bake for about 10-15 minutes until the pastry has puffed up and turned a golden brown color. Allow to cool for about 5 minutes prior to serving.
Notes
*Freezer - place the empanadas in the freezer on the prepared sheet pan and allow to freeze completely. Once frozen, transfer to to an airtight container or a freezer bag until ready to use. Do not defrost prior to proceeding with the next steps. Bake according to instructions above adding an additional 5-10 minutes.
*Refrigeration - cover the empanadas on the sheet pan with plastic wrap and store in the refrigerator for 4-6 hours. Proceed with the next steps above.