Method

1. Peel and chop the onion, peel and crush or chop the garlic. (There is no need really to crush the garlic unless you have just bought a garlic press and are dying to try it out.)
2. Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan add the onion and garlic and fry gently until soft.
3. Meanwhile wash and chop the potato, peeling if not organic.
4. When the onion is golden brown add the water to the pan, put in the potato and bring to the boil.
5. Once boiling open the tin of tomatoes and add to the pan, together with the tomato puree. Stir well, cover and simmer gently.
6. If using fresh basil, wash and roughly chop it then add it to the soup, saving a few leaves for garnish. Dried basil can just be tossed in with a suitable Latin flourish.
7. Cook until the potatoes are soft, then blend and season to taste.
8. It tastes even better if you garnish it with a few pitted black olives and those fresh basil leaves you saved.

Ingredients

2½ Pints Water
1 12 oz. Tin peeled plum Tomatoes
2 Tablespoons Tomato Pureé
1 Onion
1 Large Potato
3 to 4 Cloves Garlic
2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
2 Teaspoons Dried Basil or a small hand full of fresh basil if you have it.
Salt & Pepper