Name: Pappa con il pomodoro (Thick tomato and bread soup)
Yield: Serves 6-8
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: 500 g (1 lb 2 oz) of 2-day old white country-style bread; 1 kg (2 lb 4 oz) fresh, very ripe tomatoes, skinned and cut into chunks or 800 g (1 lb 12 oz) tin of peeled tomatoes with juice, cut into chunks; 4 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed; 5 tablespoons olive oil; 1 small dried red chilli; about 1.5 litres (6 cups) hot water; about 12 large basil leaves, torn in half; extra virgin olive oil, to serve (about 2 tablespoons per serving)

Preparation info

Serves
6-8

Difficulty
Easy

Appears in

Twelve

By Tessa Kiros

Published 2003

About

Many Tuscans are satisfied with the simplicity of their wonderful ripe tomatoes — mixed with a little garlic, superb olive oil and their unsalted bread. The few ingredients in this recipe form the basis of many dishes in Tuscany. It is worth mentioning that the quality of your ingredients makes your finished dish, particularly in a recipe like this one.

You can cut the bread into squares the night before and leave out to dry on a tray, uncovered. Some people add a few whole cloves t