Tuscan Bread Soup Pappa Al Pomodoro Food

PAPPA AL POMODORO (TUSCAN BREAD SOUP)

Steps:

• In a medium pot over medium-high heat, add olive oil and crushed garlic.
• When the garlic flavors infuse oil, add the red pepper flakes being careful not to burn them.
• Add the whole can of tomatoes into the pot, then using a spatula cut the tomatoes into chunks.
• Add salt and ground black pepper, to taste.
• (Remember, bread chunks will be added to this so make it a bit saltier then you would like it to be.)
• Add water and stir.
• With your hands, pull the bread into bite-sized chunks, then add them to the pot.
• "Toss" (do not stir) bread chunks in to the soup.
• Add basil leaves.
• Serve hot and enjoy!

TUSCAN TOMATO AND BREAD SOUP - PAPPA AL POMODORO

Steps:

• Coat a large wide pot with olive oil over medium heat and add the onions. Season with salt and crushed red pepper, to taste, and cook until the onions are soft and very aromatic, about 8 to 10 minutes. Toss in the garlic and cook for 2 to 3 more minutes. Add the wine and cook until it has reduced by half. Stir in the tomatoes, season with salt, to taste, and cook until the tomatoes are really soft and juicy, about 12 to 15 minutes. Toss in the whole basil leaves.
• Working in batches, carefully puree the tomatoes in a blender*. Return the tomato puree to the pot and add the tomato juice and the bread. Cook the soup over medium heat for until the bread has completely lost its shape and the soup is really thick, about 20 minutes. Taste the soup and adjust the seasoning, if needed.
• Ladle the soup into bowls and serve garnished with grated cheese, basil chiffonade and a drizzle of big fat finishing oil.

PAPPA AL POMODORO (ITALIAN BREAD AND TOMATO SOUP)

Steps:

• Sauté the garlic and onion in olive oil with the chili pepper until the garlic has lightly browned and the onion is just getting golden; add the tomato; season with salt; add half the basil leaves torn into tiny pieces; crush the tomatoes with the back of a wooden spoon and stir; cook until the tomatoes fall apart (about 20 minutes).
• Put the bread into the sauce; the bread will soak up the sauce and it will get quite thick; add enough stock to soften the bread and to make it liquidy; add the remaining basil and cook until the bread becomes a kind of mush (this is called'pappa').
• Serve, sprinkling with parmesan cheese and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil over each serving.