Pappa al Pomodoro- Combined Recipes

By CheeseDiva

This recipe combines one from Shannon Finn from a cooking class in Italy. And, Biba Caggiano's take on the one from Osteria del Cinghiale Bianco in Florence.

Ingredients

• (1 lb. uncooked Italian sausage - optional)
• 1 c. finely diced red onion
• 8 cloves minced garlic
• 1 leek - white part only - sliced thin
• 1/2 c. olive oil
• 4 - 28 oz. cans ripe Roma (or San Marzano) tomatoes, peeled, seeded and each cut into 8 pieces
• 1 sm. can tomato paste
• 5 c. chicken stock/red wine
• 1 sm. Bay leaf
• 1/2 tsp. ground fennel seed
• 3/4 tsp. salt
• 1/2 small lemon
• 2 c. leftover Italian baguette in 1" cubes
• 1 bunch fresh basil
• olive oil

Details

Adapted from whatscookingamerica.net

Preparation

Step 1

Heat olive oil.. Add onion, leeks, garlic and cook white stirring until vegetables are soft.

Add tomato paste - stir -- then add tomatoes and liquid and bring to gentle boil.

Add bay leaf, fennel and salt.

Squeeze lemon, strain, and add juice to pot.

Simmer, uncovered, 15-20 minutes.

Add bread to soup.

Simmer until soup is well-thickened, stirring to break up pieces of bread 20-25 minutes,
Add basil and season with salt and pepper.
Remove from heat and beat soup with wire whisk (or immersion blender) until bread is broken up and becomes an integral component of soup.

Drizzle each serving with a little extra virgin olive oil and top with some grated Parmigiano.