Baked Tomato Soup

Ingredients:

• 8 plum tomatoes, halved lengthwise
• 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• 0.5 cups + 1 cup water, divided
• Half an onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• 2 teaspoons dried Provencal herbs
• 2 cups chicken or vegetable broth
• Sour cream or olive oil, for serving (optional)

Preparation:

1. Preheat oven to 135°C and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
   
   In a bowl, toss the tomatoes with 1 tablespoon of olive oil; season with salt and pepper. Place the tomatoes, cut-side down, on the prepared baking sheet and drizzle with 1 tablespoon of the liquid. Bake in the oven for 1 hour.
2. Remove from the oven. Carefully peel off the skins and discard. Turn the tomatoes cut-side up and return them to the oven. Bake until the tomatoes are shriveled but not dry, another 30-60 minutes. Remove the tomatoes from the oven and let them cool slightly.
3. Meanwhile, in a large saucepan over low heat, sauté the onion in the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil until very soft, 10-12 minutes. Add the garlic and herbes de Provence and sauté until fragrant, another 1-2 minutes. Add the broth and the remaining 1/2 cup water and bring to a boil. Simmer for 15 minutes. Cool slightly.
4. In a blender, puree the tomatoes (including any liquid from the pan) and broth mixture until very smooth. You may need to blend in several batches. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve if you prefer a smooth soup. Return the soup to the pan, season with salt and pepper, and reheat. Ladle the soup into bowls, drizzle with olive oil, and add sour cream, if desired.