Tuscan-Style Tomato and Bread Soup

Name: Tuscan-Style Tomato and Bread Soup
Yield: Makes 6 Main-Course Servings
Cuisine: Italy
Ingredients: 1 large or 2 medium-size yellow onions, coarsely chopped; 2 tablespoons olive oil; 4 fresh oregano sprigs, leaves stripped from stems and chopped (if available, or substitute a small pinch of dried oregano); Salt, to taste; pinch of dried red pepper flakes; 4 scallions (white and green portions), trimmed and thinly sliced; ⅓ cup chopped fresh basil leaves, plus several small sprigs for garnish (do not substitute dried); 8 or 10 fresh sage leaves, chopped (if available; do not substitute dried); 8 ounces coarse Italian, peasant, or sourdough bread with crust, preferably 1 or 2 days old, cut into 1-inch cubes (4 to 6 cups); 4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced; 2 to 2½ pounds ripe tomatoes, peeled and seeded (Tomato Basics); 1 teaspoon tomato paste; Parmesan cheese shavings or freshly grated Parmesan cheese, for serving; Fruity extra-virgin olive oil, for serving; freshly ground black pepper, to taste; 3 cups chicken broth, preferably reduced-sodium homemade

Preparation info

Makes
6
Main-Course Servings

Difficulty
Easy

Appears in

Get in There and Cook

By Richard Sax

Published 1997

About

From Tuscany, this dish is a “pap” of dead-ripe tomatoes and coarse country bread. As the Italians put it, this soup is “comforting like the mother.” Notice in the ingredient list that in some instances dried herbs should not be substituted for the fresh—the special flavor of fresh makes a noticeable difference.

Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large or 2 medium-size yellow onions, coarsely chopped
4

Europe
Italy
Lunch
Stew
Supper
Soup
Mediterranean

Method

Heat the olive oil in a nonreactive large saucepan or casserole over medium heat. Add the onions, scallions, half of the basil, the sage, oregano, a sprinkling of salt, and the dried pepper flakes. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions soften, about 10 minutes. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, until the onions are very soft and lightly golden, about 5 minutes l