Soups & stews
Pappa al pomodoro (bread and tomato soup)
Somewhere between a soup and a stew, this rustic vegetarian recipe is thick and filling. Serve hot or cold, and add extra stock to get your preferred consistency. This'll be better with rough, crusty bread rather than processed pre-sliced white. To make it even more hearty, you could try adding some chickpeas. Drizzle over salsa verde to brighten the flavour.
Ingredients
- 350g stale bread with crusts, thickly sliced
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 50ml olive oil
- 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 1kg ripe tomatoes, skinned and roughly chopped
- 1.5 litres chicken or vegetable stock
- 1 small bunch fresh basil, shredded
- Parmesan, grated, to serve
- salt and pepper
Method
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Step 1
Preheat oven to 150°C/Gas 2. Spread the bread out on a baking sheet and dry in the oven for 10-15 minutes. Break into pieces.
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Step 2
Fry the onion in 2 tablespoons of olive oil until just tender. Add the garlic and raise the heat slightly. As soon as the garlic begins to brown add the tomatoes, salt and pepper. Simmer for 10 minutes. Cool slightly, then pass through the fine plate of a mouli-légume or liquidize and sieve.
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Step 3
Bring the stock up to the boil and add the puréed tomato mixture, bread, remaining olive oil, basil, salt and pepper. Simmer for 20-30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the soup is very thick. Taste and adjust seasonings. Serve hot or cold, with a drizzle of olive oil and, if you wish, a scattering of Parmesan.
