Location & Language
Location
Your location determines which local communities, pages, places and events you see.
Display language
The language used for menus, buttons and interface text.
Location
Your location determines which local communities, pages, places and events you see.
Display language
The language used for menus, buttons and interface text.
Pappa al pomodoro is one of the great dishes of Florentine cucina povera, a thick, comforting soup born of the need to use up stale Tuscan bread and ripe summer tomatoes, and one of the most beloved comfort foods of Tuscany. The bread is not just added to the soup but dissolved into it, thickening the tomato base into a dense, porridge-like consistency that is neither quite a soup nor quite a stew. Abundant garlic, fresh basil, a generous pour of the finest Tuscan olive oil, and a pinch of chili provide the aromatics that transform what could be a humble leftover meal into something genuinely wonderful. It is served just warm or at room temperature in summer, and hot in cooler months, always finished with a ribbon of raw olive oil poured at the table. The name means literally tomato porridge, which sells it short - this is one of Italy's finest dishes.
Prep
10 min
Cook
30 min
Total
40 min
Servings
4 srv
Difficulty
Easy
Calories
265 kcal
For 4 serving(s)
Per serving
If using fresh tomatoes, score the bases with a cross, blanch in boiling water for 30 seconds, peel, and roughly crush. If using canned tomatoes, break them up with your hands.
Heat the olive oil in a large heavy pot over medium heat. Add the garlic cloves (left whole or roughly sliced) and the chili flakes. Cook for 1-2 minutes until fragrant but not coloured.
Add the tomatoes to the pan and season with salt and pepper. Cook over medium heat for 15 minutes, stirring and breaking up the tomatoes, until reduced and concentrated.
Pour in the vegetable broth and bring to a gentle simmer.
Tear the stale bread into rough pieces and stir it into the simmering soup. The bread will absorb the liquid and begin to break down almost immediately.
Cook over low heat for 10-15 minutes, stirring frequently, until the bread has completely dissolved into the soup and the texture is dense and porridge-like. If it gets too thick, add a splash more broth.
Remove from the heat and tear in the fresh basil. Serve warm, drizzled generously with raw extra virgin olive oil.
Sign in to rate this recipe.