Pappa al Pomodoro is a classic Tuscan tomato bread soup. With this recipe, you just need a few common pantry staples to create something magical in your home kitchen.
Bring a pot of water to a boil. While the water is heating up, use a sharp knife to cut a cross on the non-stem end of the tomatoes.
Blanch the tomatoes in the boiling water for 1 to 2 minutes. After blanching, drop the tomatoes in an ice bath for 5 minutes or until the tomatoes have cooled.
Peel and core the tomatoes. Remove the stem ends.
Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat in a 4 quart saucepan. Once the oil has heated, add the onions to the pan and sauté until soft and pale golden.
Add the garlic and chili flake to the pan, sauté until fragrant, about one minute. You can omit the pepper flakes to a achieve a mild flavor.
Add the tomatoes and reduce the fire to low. Crush and squeeze them against the side of the pan with a wooden spoon.
Cook the tomatoes at a slow simmer until they've softened and broken down into a sauce. If the mixture gets too thick, add water to the pot so that the mixture doesn't burn.
Add the 2/3 of the torn basil and mix. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Add the bread cubes and stir until incorporated.
Add the remainder of the olive oil and the grated cheese and remove from the stove.
Garnish with the remainder of the basil leaves and serve with additional grated Parmigiano-Reggiano to taste.
Pro Tips
You can replace fresh tomatoes with half a bottle of Passata Rustica (340 grams or 12 ounces).
You can also replace the fresh tomatoes with half of a 28 oz. can of whole tomatoes.
If you use fresh tomatoes, don't add the bread until the sauce is thoroughly cooked. Otherwise, your Tuscan soup will take a very long time to cook.