Instructions: Lightly brown the unpeeled garlic in 5 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat for about 10 minutes. Remove the garlic from the pot with a slotted spoon and brown the country bread slices on each side in the garlic-scented oil. Take the bread out and set aside. Sprinkle the bottom of the hot pot with the paprika and cumin. Return the garlic to the pot along with the broth or water. Cover the pot and simmer until the garlic cloves soften, about 30 minutes. Strain the soup through the finest disk of a food mill or puree it in a blender and strain through a medium-mesh strainer. Preheat the oven to 350 F. Bring the soup back to a simmer and ladle it into ovenproof bowls or soup crocks. Place a browned bread slice on top of each one, then break an egg into each bowl on top of the bread if youre using the eggs. Bake the soup until the egg white sets but the yolk is still runny; start checking after about six minutes.

Serves 4

Recipe is from Splendid Soups by James Peterson.

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