Andalusian Gazpacho

La storia di questo piatto

Gazpacho is the blood of Andalusia poured cold into a bowl — a peasant's prayer to the sun, born where the earth bleeds red and the olive groves whisper in the white heat of August. It carries centuries of Moorish shadow and Roman dust, a liquid mosaic of everything this land has ever loved.

Ingredienti

• 800 g Ripe San Marzano tomatoes
• 1 piece Red bell pepper
• 150 g Fresh cucumber
• 2 cloves Garlic
• 100 g Stale Tuscan bread
• 3 tablespoons Red wine vinegar
• 80 ml Extra virgin olive oil
• 5 g Sea salt
• 2 g Black pepper
• 250 ml Cold water

Preparazione

1. Rinse the tomatoes thoroughly under cool running water and cut them into large chunks, removing the seeds with your fingers or the tip of your knife: the seeds are what bring extra water and bitterness to the soup, so it's best to leave them out. Clean the bell pepper by removing the white core and all the seeds, which are the hardest part to digest, and cut it into small pieces. Peel the cucumber with a vegetable peeler and divide it into chunks: if you want a more delicate gazpacho, also remove the inner seeds with a small spoon.
2. Break apart the day-old bread with your hands and let it soak in cold water: this is what will give the soup its body and creamy texture, so don't rush and let it really drink up the water for a good two minutes. Meanwhile, crush the garlic with the flat side of your knife blade, just enough to break apart its fibers: this way it releases all its aroma without becoming too sharp and pungent in the final dish.
3. Put the tomatoes, bell pepper, cucumber, crushed garlic, well-squeezed bread, vinegar, and half of the olive oil into the blender, then blend for a long time until you get a dense and smooth cream with no large chunks that you can feel between your teeth. Taste as you blend: if you feel it's too thick, add cold water little by little, stirring well each time, until it flows smoothly from a spoon but still remains substantial and full-bodied.
4. If you want a soup as smooth as silk, pass everything through a fine sieve, pressing firmly with the back of a spoon to squeeze out every drop of flavor, leaving only the skins and toughest fibers behind in the strainer. But if you like to feel some texture on your palate, you can skip this step without any problem. Adjust the salt and pepper to taste, pour in the remaining olive oil and mix everything together well, always tasting before you stop: it should be flavorful and balanced, never flat or bland.
5. Cover the soup and put it in the refrigerator for at least two hours, the time it needs for all the flavors to come together and for the gazpacho to become that refreshingly cold temperature that makes it so special. Before serving, put the bowls in the freezer for a few minutes as well: eating a cold soup in a warm bowl ruins all the magic. Bring to the table with a few ice cubes in each bowl, toasted bread croutons on the side, and a drizzle of raw olive oil poured at the very last moment, which is what brings out the most aroma and fragrance.