2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, diced (about ¾ cup chopped)
1 medium carrot, peeled and diced (about ½ cup chopped)
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon fresh chopped oregano
1 teaspoon fresh chopped thyme
½ teaspoon red pepper flakes (more or less to taste)
2 tablespoons tomato paste
¼ cup white wine
6 ripe medium tomatoes* (about 2 pounds), cored and roughly chopped
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
1/4 cup mascarpone cheese
Salt to taste
Directions:
In a large saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add onion and carrot and sauté until translucent, 6 to 7 minutes. Add the garlic, herbs and red pepper flakes and cook until fragrant.
Add the tomato paste and stir until all the vegetables are evenly coated. Add the white wine and cook for about a minute or until the liquid is mostly evaporated, stirring to incorporate any brown bits from the bottom of the pan.
Add tomatoes and their juices along with the sugar and simmer for about 10 to 15 minutes or until tomatoes are soft and just beginning to break down. Remove from heat and let cool slightly.
Transfer to a blender or food processor (working in batches if necessary, and be careful when blending hot foods!) and puree until smooth. Return to saucepan set over medium-low heat until heated through; season to taste with salt and pepper. Add mascarpone and stir until smooth and serve warm with crusty bread.
* While the perfectly ripe, peak-season tomatoes are what make this soup truly special, during the rest of the year you can substitute a 28-ounce can of San Marzano tomatoes.
** Mascarpone is a soft fresh cheese similar to cream cheese.
