Pappa al Pomodoro
Tuscan Pappa al Pomodoro - tomato bread soup made with tomatoes, garlic, basil and bread. This soup can be eaten at room temperature in the summer or slightly warm in the winter for a simple, filling and delicious meal.
Tuscan Pappa al Pomodoro - tomato bread soup made with tomatoes, garlic, basil and bread. This soup can be eaten at room temperature in the summer or slightly warm in the winter for a simple, filling and delicious meal.
- Carbohydrate 0.794013294797688 g
- Cholesterol 0 mg
- Fat 0.433883670701149 g
- Fiber 0.050436413894499 g
- Protein 0.152750289017341 g
- Saturated Fat 0.0603900433775822 g
- Serving Size 1 1 people (67g)
- Sodium 0.41673229769148 mg
- Sugar 0.743576880903189 g
- Trans Fat 0.0150509935020092 g
- Calories 7 calories
Step-by-step
- Add the olive oil to a large pot on a medium/low heat. Finely chop the garlic and add to the pot with the chili flakes, sauté the garlic for 30 seconds, don't let it brown.
- Add the pureed tomatoes and bring to a boil.
- Once boiling add the vegetable stock, bring back to a boil then reduce the heat to a simmer. Let the soup simmer gently, uncovered for 15 minutes.
- Roughly chop a little basil and add it to the soup. Finely slice the bread and add that too, very gently push the bread down without breaking it apart into the soup, don't worry if it's not all covered. Remove from the heat and let it rest, covered for 1 hour.
- Stir the soup to break up the bread into a porridge/oatmeal like consistency. Adjust the texture with a little vegetable stock if it's too thick. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Unlike a smooth, pureed gazpacho or a heavily blended cream soup, traditional Tuscan pappa al pomodoro relies entirely on bread for its substantial body. Historical Tuscan cooking utilizes stale, salt-free pane sciocco to absorb liquids without dissolving into mush. Mastering this preparation requires understanding how starch and tomato acid interact during the resting phase rather than relying on heavy dairy thickeners.
- Sauté the minced garlic and chili flakes in olive oil over medium-low heat for strictly 30 seconds to release aromatics without browning the allium.
- Simmer the tomato puree and vegetable stock uncovered for 15 minutes to concentrate the liquid base before adding the bread.
- Push the sliced bread gently into the simmering liquid without forcing it to break apart prematurely.
- Cover the pot and let the mixture rest undisturbed for a full hour to allow the crumb to fully absorb the broth.
- Judge the final porridge consistency visually by stirring to break down the softened bread, adding extra warm stock if the mixture appears too thick.
Proper resting transforms the separate elements into a unified, porridge-like consistency that tastes distinctly richer than its modest ingredient list suggests. Enjoy the bowl warm during colder months or at room temperature once the summer heat sets in.
