Episode #201 - Pappa al Pomodoro (Tuscan Bread Soup) with Rosanna and Matteo
Today, to fulfill the requests of many of you that read the article on People Magazine, we are cooking for you the famous Pappa al Pomodoro!
A brief note about what
you will see, as there are two small differences in
the way Rosanna and I prepare the Pappa.
She sautes the whole cloves of garlic to flavor the
oil, and then she takes them out.
I chop the garlic and I leave it in...I love garlic!
She adds the bread to the tomatoes and then she adds
the broth,
I add the broth to the tomatoes and when it boils I
add the bread.
Either way, as long as you have the right proportion
of ingredients you will be fine.
Tip: you can save some
bread and some broth, in case you need to add one of
them to achieve the preferred consistency.
Let's get cooking!
Pappa al Pomodoro (Tomatoes and Stale
Bread Soup)
Serves
6 (plus leftovers)
Finding the right kind of bread to make Pappa is
harder then actually preparing the dish. Bread should
be unflavored, unsalted, not too doughy, with a crust
that is actually a crust. Because you need to use
stale bread, you have to give yourself some time to
dry it. The best way, once you've found the
right loaf, is to slice it, and lay the slices on a
tray for a couple of days. In front of a sunny window
would be just perfect.
2 T. extra virgin olive oil
5 cloves of garlic, halved
2 lbs. peeled, canned tomatoes
4 oz. fresh basil leaves, whole, with extra to garnish
½ tsp. of salt
Black pepper
3 c. of vegetable broth
1 lb. stale bread (see above), sliced thinly
Salt, pepper, extra virgin olive oil.
Preparation:
1. In a large stock pot, warm the olive oil on medium heat and sauté the garlic until just golden.
2. Add the tomatoes, the basil, the salt and a grind of black pepper. Cook for 15 minutes.
3. Add the vegetable broth, stir well, and bring to a boil.
4. Add the bread and cook for 10 minutes, stirring often.
5. Take soup off the heat, and let it sit for about 1 hour, so the bread will absorb as much sauce as possible.
6. Before serving, give soup a final stir. Serve warm – not hot. (Reheat if necessary.)
Consistency: You should be able to eat the Pappa with your fork. Add some broth if it's too thick and you still need to "work" the bread, or add some bread if the soup is too liquid.
Absolutely do not dress it with Parmesan cheese! Garnish your dish
with the remaining basil, and some extra virgin olive oil. Now you are officially a Tuscan farmer!
