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Pappa al Pomodoro – a rustic authentic Tuscan Tomato Soup made with bread; wholesome, hearty, warming and filling.
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Tuscan Tomato Bread Soup
Traditionally made with the last of summer’s San Marzano tomatoes, lots of day old bread, garlic and herbs. No beans allowed here, make a minestrone or ribollita instead if that’s what you are after.
I did a bruschetta spin on this classic and chose to grill some crusty Italian bread instead of stale bread. I’m pretty sure this is the only way to make Tuscan tomato soup from this day on.
You start by creating a flavor base of sauteed onions, garlic, spicy red chile pepper in a light drizzle of olive oil. Add a little touch of fresh rosemary but go easy with this herb as it can be very strong and pungent, so make sure to taste as you go.
The Tomatoes
Tomatoes play a huge roll in Tuscan soups and cuisine, so I’m insisting on San Marzano tomatoes that you can quickly blanch and peel and add to your soup. But, since you probably don’t have any growing in the backyard either, we’ll need to use the canned variety.
Not to worry as this makes your life easier as they are already blanched and peeled and ready to go. Use about 10 of those tomatoes and your soup will be amazing. Do NOT use the sauce they come canned in. A Tuscan soup has a thinner consistency that will be thickened up with the addition of the stale bread or in our case bruschetta.
I like to make my own vegetable stock for this and pretty much just do a nice fridge clean up. Simmer together carrots, onion, garlic a bunch of thyme, a couple of bay leaves, some peppercorns, half a bell pepper, whatever needs using up. Really delicious of course but you can use any store bough veggie stock you like.
The Bread for Tuscan Tomato Soup
While my soup is simmering away and making the shack smell like a small Tuscan town on a chilly day, I start on the bruschetta. You know how we love our bruschetta around here.
So I grill thick slice of Italian bread and rub it with garlic on both sides before lightly brushing it with olive oil. Hit it with some sea salt and wait for your soup to be ready.
When ready to eat just use the best kitchen utensils of all times (your hands), and tear the bruschetta into rustic pieces and add them to the pot of soup. Cover with a lid and let it sit for about 10 minutes for the bread to soak up the broth, thicken it up and the flavors to mingle together. Instant dumplings baby!
More Italian Soups
Roasted Tomato Soup
San Marzano Tomato Soup
Roasted Red Pepper Tomato Soup
Italian Vegetable Soup with Farro
White Bean Soup
Zuppa Toscana
Italian Red Lentil Soup
Escarole Soup
Ribollita
Kale Soup
how to make Pappa Al Pomodoro
4.80 from 5 votes
Tuscan Tomato Soup Recipe (Pappa al Pomodoro)
Pappa al Pomodoro - a rustic Tuscan tomato bread soup made with day old bread, tomatoes and herbs.
In a medium size heavy bottom pot add a good lug of olive oil.
Add the onions and red pepper flakes and sauté together for about 5 minutes until translucent. At this point stir in the rosemary and garlic and give it a good stir.
1 small onion, 5 cloves garlic, 1.5 tsp red pepper flakes, 1 tbsp Rosemary
Crush the tomatoes with your hands and add them to the pot (Reserve the sauce from the can for another recipe, do not use here). Pour in the vegetable stock and bring your tomato soup to a gentle simmer. Cook on low flame for 25 minutes.
8-10 San Marzano tomatoes, 1.5 quarts vegetable stock
Adjust seasonings to taste with sea salt and set aside.
The Bread
While the soup is simmering, cut the bread in 1 inch slices and grill it on both sides on a cast iron grill pan until nice charred grill marks form.
1 loaf crusty bread
Use a large garlic clove and rub both sides of the bread. Brush with olive oil and sprinkle with sea salt.
1 clove garlic, 1 pinch Sea salt
Using your hands tear the bruschetta into rustic pieces and add them to the tomato soup. Cover with a lid and allow it to sit for 10 minutes.
Ladle the soup into bowls and serve garnished with the fresh parsley and extra red pepper flakes.
1/3 cup Italian parsley
Notes
Bread - Traditionally the soup is made with day old bread but it's so much more delicious with garlic bruschetta.
If you don't have any bread you could add some pasta or gnocchi instead.
Add some clams in the last few minutes of cooking to turn this into a Zuppa di Pesce or Cioppino.
You can thicken soup by adding flour, cornstarch, or another starchy substitute. For the best results, never add flour or cornstarch directly to your soup. If you do, it will clump up on top. Instead, ladle a small amount of broth into a separate bowl and let it cool.
Since the acidity of the soup will vary depending on what brand of canned tomatoes you choose, I'll often add a pinch of baking soda for balance. If you suspect you may need some help in that department, give the soup a taste. If it tastes overly acidic or sharp, add a quarter teaspoon of baking soda.
For the most intense tomato flavor, include a couple tablespoons of tomato paste. To get the most out of it, add it to the pan when aromatics like onion and garlic are softened, but before adding the tomatoes. Let the paste cook, stirring frequently, for a few minutes, or until it starts to darken in color.
Cornstarch is a great option as it is a natural thickening agent, but you'll want to be careful about how much you use. Start with 1 tablespoon of cornstarch whisked together with cold water to create a slurry. Then, gradually add the slurry to the soup, letting it boil for one to two minutes before adding more.
The most classic and surefire way to thicken a broth-based soup is with a cornstarch slurry. Whisk together equal parts cornstarch (or arrowroot) and water or broth, then whisk it into the pot of soup. A good ratio to get to a pleasant thickness without your soup tasting goopy or heavy is one tablespoon.
A small amount of sugar can help round out the flavor, while too much can make it overly sweet and potentially ruin the dish. Adding sugar may also reduce the acidity in a soup, making it taste less acidic.
Leaf states that this can be due to burning the sauce in the pot or simply dealing with a batch of produce that are overly acidic or metallic from canning or cooking. This can also come from under-ripe or low-quality tomatoes, as well as stirring in a hefty amount of tomato paste, per Boss The Kitchen.
The standard direction for a can of condensed Tomato Soup is to put the condensed soup in a saucepan, fill the can with water, add the water to the pan, stir, and heat just to the point of simmer. BUT. It's MUCH better with Milk, which makes it a creamy tomato soup, a bit more like a tomato bisque.
Garlic: Fresh or powdered garlic adds a robust, savory flavor to tomato sauce. You can sauté minced garlic in a bit of olive oil before adding the canned sauce to release its flavors. Onion: Chopped or minced onions, whether white or red, can provide a subtle sweetness and depth of flavor.
Always check seasonings and taste-test before serving. If the soup tastes bland at all, a bit more salt will do the trick, that doesn't just apply to this tomato soup recipe but just about anything you'll ever find yourself cooking.
Put a tablespoon of either into a small bowl and stir in 2-3 tbsp of the soup until you have a smooth mixture. Stir this back into the soup and bring it to a simmer. Cook for a few minutes to allow the starch granules to burst to thicken, and to cook out any flour flavour.
Add garlic powder, onion powder, Italian seasoning, cayenne pepper, salt, and black pepper and let sit on medium-low heat for about 10 minutes. Pour into bowls and top with parmesan cheese and fresh basil.
When made with milk, tomato soup should be rich and creamy. Not all soups are created equal. A soup made with milk is usually richer and more luxurious than one made with just water or stock. This addition helps make the soup feel more comforting.
You can thicken your soup by cooking it until enough water has evaporated OR you can add a starch such as corn starch, flour or potato starch to absorb the water and act as a thickening agent. How do you make tomato soup creamier without making it too thick? A splash of milk or cream or sour cream, if you like.
When in a pinch, tomato paste is the perfect way to help thicken a sauce in the nick of time. Take some tomato paste, put it in a cup, and dilute it with a little bit of water. Mix it up, and then when it reaches your desired consistency, add it directly to the sauce. This is a step that should be fairly easy to eye.
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