"Pappa al pomodoro", a traditional Tuscan soup, is a simple yet flavorful dish that captures the essence of Italian cuisine. Made with ripe tomatoes, fragrant basil, and crusty bread, this rustic soup is a symphony of flavors that warms the soul and satisfies the palate. Whether you are a seasoned home cook or a novice in the kitchen, I will take you on a culinary journey through the streets of Florence to uncover the secrets behind this classic Italian dish. From selecting the perfect tomatoes to mastering the art of balancing acidity and sweetness, I will guide you through each step of the process.
Here are our top 6 tried and tested recipes!
PAPPA AL POMODORO
Steps:
- Heat the oil in a large stockpot over medium heat. Add the onions, carrots, fennel, and garlic and cook over medium-low heat for 10 minutes, until tender. Add the ciabatta cubes and cook for 5 more minutes. Place the tomatoes in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade and process just until coarsely chopped. Add the tomatoes to the pot along with the chicken stock, red wine, basil, 1 tablespoon salt, and 1 1/2 teaspoons pepper. Bring the soup to a boil, lower the heat, and allow to simmer, partially covered, for 45 minutes.
- Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
- For the topping, place the ciabatta cubes, pancetta, and basil on a sheet pan large enough to hold them in a single layer. Drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and toss well. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 20 to 25 minutes, until all the ingredients are crisp. The basil leaves will turn dark and crisp, which is perfectly fine. Reheat the soup, if necessary, beat with a wire whisk until the bread is broken up. Stir in the Parmesan and taste for seasoning. Serve hot sprinkled with the topping and drizzled with additional olive oil.
PAPPA AL POMODORO
Provided by Giada De Laurentiis
Categories main-dish
Time 55m
Yield 4 to 6 servings
Number Of Ingredients 16
Steps:
- Heat a medium Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the olive oil and pancetta, and cook until the pancetta is brown and crispy, about 4 minutes. Remove to a paper-towel-lined plate to drain.
- Add the red onion, carrot, garlic and red pepper flakes to the pot. Reduce the heat to medium and cook, stirring often, until fragrant, 1 minute. Add the salt, canned tomatoes, chicken broth and bread cubes; stir to combine. Nestle in the basil sprigs and Parmesan rind. Bring to a simmer, then reduce the heat to maintain a gentle bubble. Stir in the pancetta.
- Cook for 25 minutes, stirring often to break apart the bread and prevent the Parmesan rind from sticking to the bottom of the pan. If the soup gets too thick, add extra broth as needed; the finished soup should be silky and thickened. Stir in the grated Parmesan.
- To serve, ladle the soup into bowls and top with a sprinkling of Parmesan, a drizzle of olive oil, and chopped basil.
PAPPA AL POMODORO
Steps:
- Chop about 2 cups (a couple of small mounds) of the bread and reserve the rest to pass at the table.
- Heat a medium soup pot over medium heat. Add about 1/4 cup of the EVOO, 4 times around the pan, then add the sprig of rosemary and the garlic. Peel and halve the onion and, using a box grater or other hand-held grater, grate the onion directly into the soup pot. Sauté the mixture for 5 minutes, then remove the rosemary stem. Add the chicken stock and the tomatoes and bring it to a bubble. Add the bread chunks and stir until the bread has melted into the soup; the result is a soup-er thick consistency. Tear or shred the basil and stir it into the soup. Season the soup with salt and pepper to taste and ladle the soup into bowls. Top it with an extra swirl of EVOO, 1 tablespoon per bowl, and lots of shaved Parm or grated Pecorino Romano cheese.
TUSCAN BREAD AND TOMATO SOUP (PAPPA AL POMODORO)
Pappa means pap, which is what this soup is. If you ever needed proof that stale bread needn't go to waste, this soup is it. And this stale bread recipe can be made with canned tomatoes, so you can make it throughout the year. When the weather is hot, you can serve this at room temperature.
Provided by Martha Rose Shulman
Time 30m
Yield Serves 4 to 6
Number Of Ingredients 12
Steps:
- If your bread is too hard to cut, douse it with water first. Then remove the crusts and cut into cubes. You should have about 7 cups.
- Heat the oil in a large, heavy soup pot over medium-low heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring, until tender, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, for about a minute, until fragrant. Add the tomatoes, tomato paste, sugar, red pepper flakes, and salt and pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the tomatoes have cooked down, about 10 minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning.
- Stir the bread cubes into the tomatoes. Add the water, half the basil, and about 1 teaspoon salt. Bring to a simmer and simmer, stirring and mashing the bread, for about 10 minutes, until the soup is thick, like oatmeal. Stir in the remaining basil, taste and adjust seasoning. Serve hot, warm, or room temperature.
Nutrition Facts : @context http, Calories 278, UnsaturatedFat 6 grams, Carbohydrate 45 grams, Fat 7 grams, Fiber 5 grams, Protein 10 grams, SaturatedFat 1 gram, Sodium 903 milligrams, Sugar 9 grams, TransFat 0 grams
PAPPA AL POMODORO
This recipe for the classic Florentine bread soup should be reserved for tomatoes at the height of the season.
Provided by Martha Stewart
Categories Food & Cooking Soups, Stews & Stocks Soup Recipes
Number Of Ingredients 8
Steps:
- Wash leeks thoroughly and set aside. Scald tomatoes briefly in boiling water; let cool, then slip off skins with a knife. Cut tomatoes in half crosswise; seed by squeezing over a strainer set in a bowl to collect juice. Cut tomatoes into chunks; set tomatoes and juice aside.
- In a small non-reactive stockpot, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium-low heat. Add garlic and leeks; cook, stirring occasionally, until translucent, 5 to 7 minutes. Increase heat to medium high and add tomatoes and juice. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until tomatoes are somewhat broken down and very juicy, 15 to 20 minutes.
- Add bread; cook, stirring and breaking up the bread with a wooden spoon until liquid is absorbed, about 5 minutes. Stir in the salt and pepper. Remove from heat and let stand to come to room temperature. Just before serving, stir in the torn basil. Drizzle each serving with extra-virgin olive oil, if desired.
PAPPA AL POMODORO
Steps:
- Finely chop onion and mince garlic. In a 4-quart heavy kettle heat oil over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking and sauté onion and garlic, stirring, until softened. Drain tomatoes, reserving juice, and chop. Stir tomatoes and reserved juice into onion mixture and simmer, stirring occasionally, 15 minutes.
- While tomato mixture is simmering, discard crust from bread and cut enough bread into 1-inch cubes to measure 2 cups. Add bread and broth to tomato mixture and simmer, stirring occasionally, until bread has absorbed liquid and soup is thick, about 40 minutes. Season soup with salt and pepper.
Tips:
- Use the best quality tomatoes you can find. Fresh, ripe tomatoes will give the soup its best flavor.
- If you don't have fresh basil, you can use dried basil. However, fresh basil will give the soup a much better flavor.
- Don't be afraid to adjust the seasonings to your taste. Add more salt, pepper, or garlic if you like.
- Serve the soup with a drizzle of olive oil and a sprinkle of grated Parmesan cheese.
- Leftover pappa al pomodoro can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Conclusion:
Pappa al pomodoro is a delicious and easy-to-make soup that is perfect for a quick and healthy meal. It is also a great way to use up leftover tomatoes. With its simple ingredients and bold flavors, pappa al pomodoro is a classic Italian dish that is sure to please everyone at the table.
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