Pappa al Pomodoro is Tuscan stale bread soup. It is a favorite of my mom, Elsa. When we are both tired this is a good go-to recipe: pappa for my mama. Use a vegetable peeler to curl off nice big shavings of Parmigiano-Reggiano to float on top of the soup.

　　

Ingredients

4 servings

　　1 loaf chewy bread, such as ciabatta

　　1/2 cup EVOO (extra-virgin olive oil)

　　1 sprig fresh rosemary

　　4 garlic cloves, chopped

　　1 small onion

　　1 cup chicken stock

　　1 14-ounce can diced tomatoes

　　1 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes

　　1 cup fresh basil, about 20 leaves

　　Salt and black pepper

　　Freshly shaved Parmigiano-Reggiano or grated Pecorino Romano cheese

　　

Step 1

Chop about 2 cups (a couple of small mounds) of the bread and reserve the rest to pass at the table.

　　

Step 2

Heat a medium soup pot over medium heat. Add about 1/4 cup of the EVOO, 4 times around the pan, then add the sprig of rosemary and the garlic. Peel and halve the onion and, using a box grater or other hand-held grater, grate the onion directly into the soup pot. Sauté the mixture for 5 minutes, then remove the rosemary stem. Add the chicken stock and the tomatoes and bring it to a bubble. Add the bread chunks and stir until the bread has melted into the soup; the result is a soup-er thick consistency. Tear or shred the basil and stir it into the soup. Season the soup with salt and pepper to taste and ladle the soup into bowls. Top it with an extra swirl of EVOO, 1 tablespoon per bowl, and lots of shaved Parm or grated Pecorino Romano cheese.

　　Rachael Ray Express Lane Meals