DIFFICULTY: 3
INGREDIENTS PER 2 PEOPLE
stale bread (Tuscan bread is the best but you can use some other type), 8,8 oz
tomato sauce, 14-17 oz
1/3 of a carrot
a small piece of celery
¼ of a golden onion
garlic, 1 small clove
basil, many leaves
extra virgin olive oil
black pepper to taste
salt to taste
PROCEDURE
Cut the bread into thick slices a few centimeters, put them in a bowl and cover them with water.
Finely chop celery, carrot and onion.
Cover with extra virgin olive oil the bottom of a large pot, add the chopped vegetables and let it fry on low heat until it softens.
Pour the tomato sauce into the pot, add some basil leaves and let it simmer over low heat, covered, for about 15 minutes. Season with salt and pepper (considering the type of bread you are using).
Squeeze the bread and crumble in the tomato sauce, stir and cook for about 10 minutes, stirring frequently because it sticks easily. The bread should blend perfectly with the tomato, creating a cream, which is precisely the “pappa col pomodoro”.
At this point, turn off the heat, crush the garlic with a knife with a wide blade, add it to pappa col pomodoro along with other basil leaves and mix well.
Add a generous dash of good extra virgin olive oil, stir and taste it and, if necessary, season with salt. Let stand covered for at least an hour, to give time to scents and flavors to mix themselves, then remove the garlic, heat and serve warm or hot depending on the season, with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil, a basil leaf and a sprinkle of freshly ground black pepper.
Thanks to: An Experimental Cook
