🇮🇹 Italian · Soup
🍅 Pappa al Pomodoro
Pappa al Pomodoro
A thick, comforting Tuscan bread and tomato soup, stale bread simmered directly into ripe tomatoes and basil until it breaks down into a rustic, spoonable porridge-like texture.
Pappa al pomodoro reflects the same no-waste Tuscan philosophy behind ribollita and panzanella, transforming day-old bread and summer's ripest tomatoes into something greater than the sum of its humble parts.
Ingredients
Equipment: Large pot
- 300 g (10.5 oz) stale rustic bread, torn into chunks
- 1 kg (2.2 lb) ripe tomatoes, or 800g (28oz) canned crushed tomatoes
- 3 cloves garlic, sliced
- 1 L (4 1/4 cups) vegetable stock
- Fresh basil, torn
- 100 ml (scant 1/2 cup) extra virgin olive oil, plus more for serving
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Method
- If using fresh tomatoes, blanch, peel, and roughly chop them.
- Warm the olive oil in a large pot and gently saute the garlic until fragrant, taking care not to brown it.
- Add the tomatoes and simmer for 15-20 minutes until they break down into a thick sauce.
- Add the stock and bring to a gentle simmer.
- Stir in the torn bread and cook, stirring frequently, for 10-15 minutes until it fully breaks down and thickens the soup to a porridge-like consistency.
- Stir in torn basil, season to taste, and let rest for a few minutes off the heat.
- Serve warm or at room temperature, with a generous drizzle of olive oil.
Chef Tips
- Genuinely stale, sturdy bread breaks down the best into the right thick, cohesive texture.
- The best pappa al pomodoro depends heavily on ripe, flavorful tomatoes when made fresh in summer.
- This dish is traditionally served warm or even at room temperature, not piping hot, and is excellent the next day.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Using fresh, soft bread, which does not break down properly into the traditional thick, cohesive texture.
- Rushing the tomato cooking time, leaving them not fully broken down into a rich sauce.
- Skimping on the olive oil, which is essential both during cooking and as a finishing touch.
Nutrition (per serving)
Health Benefits
- Tomatoes provide lycopene and vitamin C; a naturally vegan, plant-based dish.
Cultural Note
Pappa al pomodoro exemplifies Tuscany's resourceful cucina povera tradition, transforming stale bread and ripe summer tomatoes into one of the region's most beloved comfort dishes.
Storage & Serving
Storage: Refrigerate up to 3 days; flavor improves the next day.
Reheating: Reheat gently on the stovetop, adding a little water or stock if too thick.
Serve with: A drizzle of good olive oil at the table, A light Tuscan red wine