100grams (2½ slice)white bread (stale)Can be gluten free
3Tablespoonsalmond milk
600ml (2½ Cups)water (cold)
3large cloves of garlicchopped
1/2cucumberpeeled and chopped
200ml (1 cup)olive oil
4Tablespoonssherry vinegar
Instructions
Very lightly toast the almonds in a dry pan, and let them cool down
Soak the bread in a bit of almond milk or water (or both), minimum 10 minutes.
Put the almonds in a food processor (keep some separate for decorating). Squeeze out the bread and tear bits apart and add to the almond, with a little splash of the water, and blend for a minute or two.
Than slowly start adding all the water to the blender
Add the garlic, cucumber (keep some separate for decorating), the olive oil and the vinegar, blend until smooth.
Sieve the soup, and leave in the fridge for about 4 hours.
To serve, add a few almonds, chopped cucumber, and a drizzle of high quality olive oil.
Notes
The most important thing for me with this delicious summer soup is to use high quality olive oil.You can very lightly toast the almonds before blending (to release a little bit of their nuttiness) but this is actually not necessary. Originally a Spanish ajo blanco is just almonds, garlic, and bread. But nowadays many people add cucumber for freshness, or grapes for sweetness, or apple for extra acidity. I would say; Try them all! and pick your favoriteIf you happen to be in grape season, it is absolutely lovely to garnish the soup with white grapes.