Pappa al pomodoro bread and tomato soup

This simple recipe depends on the excellence of three ingredients: the tomatoes which must be vine-ripened and very ripe and sweet, the extra virgin olive oil which should be robust, and the bread which should be made from unbleached flour, close-textured and at least two days old.

6 slices ‘stale’ bread
200ml olive oil (+ 100ml)
garlic
sage leaves, some chopped, some left whole
12 tomatoes, blanched and peeled
salt and pepper

Fry bread in oil and while still warm, rub with a cut garlic. Set aside. In a large saucepan, heat up some more oil and flavour with 2-3 whole garlic cloves, taking care not to brown them. Remove garlic and discard. Put in chopped sage and cook very briefly. Then into the saucepan, squeeze the tomatoes to capture all the juices and heat very gently. Break up the bread and add to the tomato mixture. You may like to add some water or homemade stock if you think the soup is too thick, but remember the “pappa” should be quite robust and chunky. Season with salt and pepper and, if you like, a little chilli.

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Fry the whole leaves and sprinkle over the top with another drizzle of the olive oil.

This article first appeared in the March 2024 issue of SALIFE magazine.