Recipe: Pappa al Pomodoro

Julia Busuttil Nishimura, known on Instagram as Julia Ostro, shares her pappa al pomodoro, a simple, rustic tomato and bread soup that makes beautiful use of day-old crusty bread. This classic Italian recipe is rich, comforting and full of flavour.

It’s an easy way to turn leftover bread into a nourishing meal, with the bread thickening the soup and giving it its signature hearty texture. Serve warm with plenty of olive oil and fresh basil for a simple lunch, light dinner or seasonal tomato recipe.

Pappa al Pomodoro

Ingredients

- 1kg very ripe tomatoes

- Iced water

- 150ml extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra to serve

- 3 garlic cloves, roughly chopped

- Pinch of chilli flakes

- 4 slices of day-old crusty bread, crusts removed

- Sea salt

- Large handful of basil leaves, to serve

Method

Using a sharp knife, score a cross in the base of each tomato. Bring a large saucepan of water to the boil and blanch the tomatoes for 1-2 minutes. Drain and immediately plunge the tomatoes into a bowl of iced water, then peel away the skins and discard.

Warm the olive oil in a large saucepan over medium-low heat and add the garlic and chilli flakes. Cook for one to two minutes, until fragrant, taking care that the garlic doesn’t burn. Using your hands, crush the tomatoes into the pan and stir with a wooden spoon. Cook for six to seven minutes, until the tomato has broken down.

Meanwhile, soak the bread in cold water until soft. Squeeze out the excess water and crumble the bread into the pan. Add 300ml of hot water and season well.

Cook the soup, stirring frequently, for a further 10 minutes.

Season with salt, then remove the pan from the heat and allow the soup to sit for 15 minutes. Serve the soup warm with plenty of olive oil drizzled over the top, along with the basil leaves.

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