I will say right away – this is not an Italian dish at all. This soup is really summer and sometimes cold, but its roots go back to Andalusia (Spain – ed.), rather even the period of Muslim Spain. And then tomatoes appeared in Europe, and gazpacho became more like what we used to see under this name.

Once it was a soup with stale bread, garlic and vinegar – and became a cream soup of tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers and onions. But something from the original recipe, this soup still retained in its taste – a certain garlic note, sourness and bread base. This is the DNA of the dish, which testifies to its traditionality.

Ingredients:

  • tomatoes – 6-8 pcs.
  • cucumbers – 3-4 pcs.
  • sweet onion – 1/2 pc.
  • sweet pepper – 1-2 pcs.
  • garlic – several cloves
  • chili pepper to taste
  • white bread – 1 slice
  • light wine vinegar – 1-2 tbsp. l l
  • olive oil – 2-3 tbsp. l l

Step 1

As in any other recipe – choose products. With gazpacho, everything is simple – you take only ripe, very ripe tomatoes. You can take any kind of tomato, but I choose yellow ones. Cucumbers are the best varieties Spring, pepper is better than Belozirka. Crimean or white salad onions are better – to be sweet, and garlic and chili are enough for spiciness. Bread – white and yesterday. So tastier. And an important tip: do not skimp on olive oil and vinegar.

Gazpacho recipe / Photo: Facebook of Andriy Velychko

Step 2

The products have been chosen, now we will prepare them. In tomatoes, you need to cut the stem and make a shallow cross-shaped incision on the opposite side. After that, dip them in boiling water for 20-30 seconds, and then transfer them to ice water – so the skin is easily removed. Peel cucumbers with a potato peeler. The pepper can be used raw, but I bake. In my opinion, it tastes better, less than this aggressive pepper smell and taste. Onions and garlic – of course, peel. Remove the crust from bread – use only the crumb.

Gazpacho recipe / Photo: Facebook of Andriy Velychko

Step 3

This step is simple but important. Cut all foods into small pieces. Cut and mix. Salt to taste, add vinegar and oil. And leave to stand for an hour or two. I have one favorite taste. The taste of soup from summer salad of tomatoes, cucumbers and onions. This soup, this liquid from a mixture of homemade oil and salty vegetable juice from the garden is something. Gazpacho has a very close taste. But only if you take ripe vegetables.

Gazpacho recipe / Photo: Facebook of Andriy Velychko

Step 4

Easiest. Interrupt everything with a blender until smooth. Get the consistency of cream soup. In restaurants, they still filter through a chinoise sieve, but at home it is definitely superfluous. Interrupted well with a blender, mixed. Be sure to taste, adjust the salt, as well as acid with vinegar. I always add a little hot sauce – I love the burning taste. A few drops of Tabasco or domestic Vognar – and the soup is prepared. Prepared, but not ready. Now for 3-4 hours – to the refrigerator. When it cools down and infuses – you can serve.

Gazpacho recipe / Photo: Facebook of Andriy Velychko

Step 5

How and with what to eat? There are many options. Here are my recommendations and favorites:

  • croutons grated with garlic;
  • yogurt or labne;
  • dried meat;
  • fried shrimp;
  • Just a glass of icy Bessarabian white.

Of course, you need to choose one thing. Tasty!

Andriy Velychko is one of the few chefs in Ukraine who received culinary education at the Paul Bocuse Institute, the creator of the "new French cuisine".

On his Facebook page, he shares interesting recipes and secrets of cooking with his followers.

Read also:

  • Salted cucumbers with garlic and dill: prepared in a package
  • Fried young zucchini with garlic sauce: a recipe for a delicious summer snack
  • Spaghetti carbonara: summer version of the recipe