Tomato-Pepper Soup with Giant Couscous

Heat a drizzle of olive oil in a soup pot over medium heat. Fry the onion with the tomato, bell pepper, Romano pepper, apricots and half of the garlic for 2 minutes. Add two thirds of the stock. Cover with the lid and allow to cook for 15 minutes.

Boil plenty of water in a pot or saucepan and cook the giant couscous for 12 - 14 minutes, then drain and set aside (see Tip).

Tip: be sure to weigh the giant couscous first, as there may be more in the package than you need. However, you can also prepare all of it if preferred.

In the meantime, halve the bread roll and cut each half into three sticks and transfer to a parchment-lined baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and top with the rest of the garlic. Season with salt and pepper, then bake in the oven for 8 - 10 minutes.

In the meantime, take the soup pot off the heat. Add half of the sour cream and then use an immersion blender to process into a smooth soup. Season to taste with salt and pepper, then add the rest of the stock if you would prefer the soup to be less thick. Finally, stir the giant couscous into the soup.