If using fresh tomatoes, bring a saucepan of water to boiling. Turn off the heat and dip the tomatoes in the hot water for 2 minutes. Remove and place on a plate. The skin of the tomato should come off easily. Dice up the tomatoes and set aside in a bowl.
Get all your ingredients ready before making the soup. Peel and thinly slice the garlic. Dice the tomatoes, sweet potato, the green onion stems, the pepper, carrots, celery and set them aside. Infuse the garlic in the olive oil by sauteing it in the oil, stirring the slices around in the hot oil until it smells infused. Set that aside. Open the can of imported plum tomatoes and remove four plum tomatoes from the can along with 1/2 cup juice. Chop up the tomatoes and place in a bowl with the juice and set aside. OR dice up 4 medium tomatoes after removing the skin.Open the can of cannellini beans and have it ready to add to the soup when needed. Roll up a handful of basil leaves like a cigar. Cut across the "cigar" to finely shred the basil and set that aside. Shake your spices including salt and pepper into a small bowl to add to the soup when needed.
Take out a heavy dutch oven or similar pot and place on medium high heat. Heat up the garlic infused olive oil until hot and shimmering. Turn heat to medium and throw in the green onion stems, carrots, red pepper, celery and sweet potato. Saute over medium heat for 5 minutes, stirring carefully, so the vegetables become coated with oil, but don't get scorched. Simmer 5 minutes more, continuing to stir. Add tomatoes and beans with its liquid.
Add seasonings including salt and pepper to taste, some of the shredded basil and water or stock; then, cover the pot, turn down to simmer, and simmer for 15 minutes.
Test the sweet potato and don't let it get mushy. It should still have some bite to it. Remove pot from heat when veggies are soft but not mushy. Get out the blender and a big soup ladle. Ladle soup and veggies into 1/3rd of blender. Clap on top and hold down as you blend the soup into a puree. Continue in batches until all veggies are pureed. You will still have liquid left in your pot. Stir the puree into the liquid. Heat up soup before serving.
Taste to adjust the seasonings. This makes two quarts of soup. Serve some now and freeze the rest for another day. Hope it brings out the gypsy in you. Yield: 4 - 6 servings
Toppings: I have used greek yogurt instead of sour cream, or toasted GF or sour dough croutons sauteed in olive oil and sprinkled with parmesan cheese. I always sprinkle this soup with lots of parmesan cheese and keep some in a bowl at the table so every bite will have some. I am a bit obsessed with it.