Castilian Garlic Soup Recipe

Heat the water in a flameproof casserole. Chop or pound the garlic to a paste, using a mortar and pestle, a garlic press, or the blade of a knife. Add the garlic to the water and leave it to cook through for 5 to 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, slice the bread very thinly (leave the crust on) and fry it in the olive oil, sprinkling a little pimento and salt in the oil. Add the bread and oil to the water and simmer gently for another 10 to 15 minutes. You can leave the soup for several hours or overnight at this stage.

Just before serving, poach the eggs in the soup: break each egg, in turn, into a ladle and lower into the soup. Remove from the heat as soon as the white is set and serve into deep bowls. The idea is to stir the soup around so the egg breaks and continues cooking in threads.