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Tomato with Vermicelli

Melt in a saucepan one ounce butter, add one ounce finely chopped ham, one medium chopped carrot, one medium chopped onion, two branches parsley, one chopped leek, ten whole black peppers, one clove, one bay leaf, one saltspoon thyme. Mix well and brown nicely for fifteen minutes, occasionally mixing meanwhile. Add one quart canned--or the equivalent of fresh crushed--tomatoes, with two and a half quarts white broth or water. Season with a level tablespoon salt and one light tablespoon sugar. If there be any bones on hand, either of beef or poultry, add them to the stock.

Cover the pan and let gently boil for one hour and fifteen minutes. Heat in a saucepan one tablespoon melted butter and add two tablespoons flour. Mix well while browning for two minutes, then thicken the soup with this, continuing to mix with the wooden spoon while adding it. Boil for fifteen minutes longer and strain through a sieve into another saucepan. Boil one gill broken vermicelli in a pint of water for eight minutes. Drain well and add it to the soup. Boil again for five minutes. Pour into a hot soup tureen and serve.