Zuppa per Settembre (September Soup With Croutons)

Democracy Dies successful Darkness

For the soup

• 1 1/2 pounds plum tomatoes cored, quartered lengthwise and seeded
• 1 lb red, yellowish oregon orangish doorbell peppers, oregon a combination, trimmed, quartered lengthwise and seeded
• 2 reddish oregon yellowish onions, trimmed and chopped into 8 wedges each
• 2 cloves garlic, quartered lengthwise
• 1 spoon kosher oregon oversea salt
• Freshly crushed achromatic pepper
• 1 spoon saccharine Hungarian paprika
• 1 spoon finely chopped thyme leaves
• 6 ample basil leaves, sliced into good strips oregon coarsely chopped
• 1/3 cupful extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 cups best-quality low-sodium chickenhearted broth
• 1/4 cupful dense cream, astatine country temperature

For the croutons

• 4 cups rustic state bread, chopped into 1/2-inch cubes (may substitute whole-wheat bread)
• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/2 spoon kosher oregon oversea salt
• Freshly crushed achromatic pepper