Pappa al Pomodoro

Name: Pappa al Pomodoro
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 35 min
Total time: 50 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Toscana
Ingredients: 350 g pane toscano (tuscan unsalted bread); 60 ml Extra virgin olive oil; 3 cloves Garlic; 800 g tinned whole plum tomatoes; 600 ml Vegetable stock; 15 g Fresh basil; 5 g Fine sea salt; 2 g Black pepper; 1 pinch dried red chilli flakes

A comforting Tuscan soup made by simmering stale country bread with ripe tomatoes, garlic, olive oil and fresh basil until thick and porridge-like.

🇮🇹Italy· Tuscany

Prep: 15 min
Cook: 35 min
Total: 50 min
Servings: 4
Difficulty: Easy
Calories: 340 kcal

Ingredients

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Servings

350 g pane toscano (tuscan unsalted bread) — stale, cut into thick slices
60 ml Extra virgin olive oil — plus extra for drizzling at the end
3 cloves Garlic — peeled and lightly crushed
800 g tinned whole plum tomatoes — crushed thoroughly by hand with their juice
600 ml Vegetable stock — hot, or light vegetable broth
15 g Fresh basil — leaves torn roughly by hand
5 g Fine sea salt — adjust to taste
2 g Black pepper — freshly cracked
1 pinch dried red chilli flakes — optional peperoncino for gentle warmth

Equipment

•Heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven
•Wooden spoon
•Chef's knife
•Baking tray

Nutrition

Per serving, approximate

Calories: 340 kcal
fat: 14 g
carbs: 48 g
fibre: 5 g
protein: 8 g
calories: 340 kcal

Instructions

1
Toast the bread slices in an oven at 180 degrees C until dry and pale gold.
2
Rub one garlic clove gently over the rough surface of each toasted bread slice.
3
Heat the olive oil in a heavy pot over medium-low heat.
4
Add the remaining crushed garlic and chilli flakes, cooking gently until fragrant without browning.
5
Pour in the crushed tomatoes and season with a pinch of sea salt.
6
Simmer the tomatoes uncovered for fifteen minutes until slightly thickened and sweet.
7
Tear the toasted bread into rough chunks and stir into the tomato sauce.
8
Pour in the hot vegetable stock until the bread is fully submerged.
9
Simmer on low heat for twenty minutes, stirring vigorously with a wooden spoon until smooth.
10
Remove the pot from heat and fold in the torn fresh basil leaves.
11
Cover and let the dish rest for ten minutes before serving.

Chef's tips

Authentic Tuscan bread contains no salt, so if using standard sourdough or rustic white bread, reduce the added salt slightly. For the best flavour, use a robust, peppery extra-virgin olive oil to finish the dish at the table.

Ingredient substitutions

pane toscano (Tuscan unsalted bread) → stale rustic country sourdough, reducing the added salt slightly
tinned whole plum tomatoes → fresh, very ripe plum tomatoes (peeled and seeded) during peak summer

Storage

Store cooled leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days.

Reheating

Warm gently in a saucepan over low heat with a splash of hot water or broth, stirring frequently to prevent sticking.

Common mistakes to avoid

•Using fresh soft bread instead of properly dried or stale bread, which results in a gummy texture.
•Simmering over high heat, which scorches the bread starches at the bottom of the pot.
•Serving piping hot straight from the stove, which masks the delicate balance of sweet tomato and grassy olive oil.

Serving suggestions

Serve warm or at room temperature in shallow terracotta bowls with a generous swirl of extra-virgin olive oil.Garnish with a sprig of fresh basil and freshly ground black pepper.Accompany with a glass of dry Tuscan red wine like Chianti Classico.