Turkish tomato soup

Why I Love This Recipe
I met my husband in Turkey, and you'll find I submit a lot of Turkish recipes. Well, when I was broke but having the time of my life in Marmaris, I ate a lot of tomato soup because I am a vegetarian and it was cheap. My Turkish husband happens to be a chef and he shared his recipe with me. It tastes just like the kind I used to eat in the little cafes. It is an absolute favorite in my house, even with my tomato hating 9 year old. It's a creamy and smooth soup, well worth the effort.
I've got no formal training and am explaining the process as best I know how in layman's terms.
This recipe takes about 30 minutes to make, and it requires a lot of stirring.
Ingredients You'll Need
One large onion
One or two stalks celery
One very large carrot or two medium
Peel 6-7 cloves of garlic
tablespoon flour
one small can of tomato paste
two cups of cold milk
Directions
Saute the mirepoix (onions, carrots, celery) until it sweats.
Add flour and saute until it smells a bit like bread.
Now add the tomato paste. This is where the major stirring starts! I stir almost constantly for about ten minutes. It may be different for you.
Add your milk when the tomato paste seems somewhat stringy and the color of it has darkened. Stir well!
Then add water. Bring back to a boil.
Remove the soup from heat. Strain the big chunks out and serve if you like, or blend the soup. I like to serve this with Turkish pilav and a green salad. Garnish the soup with grated cheese and red chili pepper flakes.
Afiyet olsun!
Questions, Comments & Reviews
Thanks