Comforting Tuscan Tomato and Bread Soup (Pappa al Pomodoro)
A cozy and hearty Tuscan tomato bread soup recipe. Pappa al Pomodoro is made with just a handful o,f ingredients and takes no time to make at all!
Ingredients
- ⅓ cupolive oil
- 4 clovesgarlic, smashed
- red pepper flakes, optional
- 4 ½ cupsof passata
- 3 cups stale country-style bread (crust removed and cut into small cubes)
- 2 teaspoonssugar, optional
- 10fresh basil leaves
Directions
- 1
INFUSE: Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 350ºF. Add the garlic cloves red pepper flakes to a 4-quart soup pot and pour the olive oil on top. Heat the garlic over the lowest heat setting until it starts to slowly sizzle and the aroma hits the whole kitchen, this could take up to 10 minutes. Then, pour in the passata along with half of the basil leaves (torn with hands,) sugar, ½ cup of water, and allow for the mixture to simmer for 10 minutes.
- 2
TOAST: Place the cubed bread on a baking sheet and place the baking sheet in the oven for 8-10 minutes to dry the bread out further while the soup simmers.
- 3
FINISH: Then, add the bread to the soup, along with 1 cup of water and allow for the soup to simmer for another 13-15 minutes or until the bread breaks down. Season with ½ teaspoon of salt and adjust with additional salt as needed. It just depends on how salty your bread was to begin with. Add the remaining torn basil leaves to the soup. Allow the basil to wilt just a bit. Fill bowls and serve warm or you can cool it down and serve at room temperature as well. Top with parmesan, if desired.