Preparation

• Preheat the oven to 190°C/gas mark 5.
• Cut the tomatoes in half and arrange cut-side up in a baking dish. Drizzle with a little olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
• Bake for approximately 1 hour, until the tomatoes are totally soft and beginning to char around the edges.
• Heat a couple tablespoons of olive oil in a pan over a medium heat and add the onion, carrot and garlic. Cook for approximately 7 minutes until softened.
• Meanwhile, chop the basil stalks and add to the pan. Cook for another minute.
• Add the roasted tomatoes (including any juices that seeped out) to the pan along with the vegetable stock. Stir, bring to the boil, then turn the heat down. Cover and leave to simmer for about 10-20 minutes (until the carrots are very soft).
• Blitz the soup in a blender then return to the pan and gently reheat.
• Meanwhile, make the dumplings by mixing together all of the ingredients - you should have a moist doughy mix that’s easy to shape into small balls (about the size of a teaspoon).
• Drop the balls into the hot soup and simmer with a lid on for approximately 10 minutes.
• Ladle the soup and dumplings into bowls and garnish with grated cheddar cheese and fresh basil leaves before serving.