As our business grows we are getting better at forecasting our bread requirements but there are still days when we end up with a glut of loaves.
There are probably as many recipes for pappa al pomodoro as there are cooks in Tuscany. If nothing else it is versatile: I’ve see recipes including all sorts of vegetables, some where the bread is toasted or soaked in broth first; it can be eaten hot or cold and canned tomatoes could be used if you don’t have the time or inclination to prepare fresh ones.
I went for a pretty simple approach:
1lb of tomatoes, peeled, deseeded and chopped
2 cloves garlic, sliced finely
A pinch of red pepper flakes
2 tablespoons olive oil
Basil
4 cups hot stock (I used vegetable but beef or chicken would work)
10oz Stale bread, torn into pieces
Luckily, the Italians, and the Tuscans in particular, have an array of recipes designed to use up stale bread. In Tuscany that typically means “pane toscano”, which is unusual in Italy that it does not contain salt, making it pair well with Tuscan salamis and cheeses such as pecorino, but most white breads would work well in the classic Tuscan leftover bread dishes such as panzanella, ribollita and pappa al pomodoro.
Brown the garlic and pepper flakes in the oil for a couple of minutes until they start to color, and then add the tomatoes, a handful of ripped up basil leaves and season with salt and pepper. Cook this for around ten minutes and then pour in the stock. Bring to a boil and add the bread pieces. Cook for 15 minutes, stirring regularly to break up the bread. Remove from the heat and let it sit for about an hour before stirring again to further break up the bread
Eat straight away or reheat it if you want in warm. Serve it with a generous glug of extra virgin olive oil, a grind of black pepper and a garnish of fresh basil leaves.
