Pappa al Pomodoro / Roasted Tomato Soup

How to make Pappa al Pomodoro (Roasted Tomato Soup)

        We love roasted tomato soup, anytime of the year. I knew, there was no stopping me, when I saw a similar recipe in the bon appetit magazine. I made a few changes to suit the Indian palate & Voilà! It was a so... good & a big hit with my family. Serve a large bowl of this soup for a meal by itself or serve along with a tasty sandwich. 

         Pappa al Pomodoro is a hearty & thick Tuscan tomato-bread soup typically prepared with fresh tomatoes, bread, olive oil, garlic, basil, and various other fresh ingredients. The soup equivalent of dipping your bread into tomato sauce. This rustic dish is a summer comfort food. 

Total time - 1 hour

Ingredients for 4 servings:

2 lbs of ripe & juicy tomatoes, cored & quartered

6 to 8 garlic cloves, smashed

1/2 tsp fennel seeds

6 Tbsp olive oil, divided, plus more

sea salt

freshly ground pepper corns

1/2 Tbsp dried basil

1/2 tsp Dry chilli flakes

1/4 loaf of country-style bread, crust removed, torn into 2" pieces (about 1.5 cups), divided

3 cups of water

Method:

• Preheat oven to 450 F. Toss tomatoes, garlic, fennel seeds, dried basil & 3 Tbsp of olive oil in a large baking dish; season with salt & pepper.
• Roast in oven, stirring occasionally, until the tomatoes are browned & the juices thicken, 30-35 minutes.

• Transfer tomato mixture to a large sauce pan; add 1 cup of torn bread, 3 cups of water & chilli flakes. Bring it to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer, stirring occasionally to break up the tomatoes & the bread, until the bread is softened and the soup has thickened slightly (8-10 mins). Season with salt & pepper.

• Meanwhile tear remaining 1/2 cup bread into smaller pieces; toss on a baking sheet with 3 Tbsp olive oil, season with salt. Toast, tossing often, until crisp, 5 mins.
• Serve soup topped with toasted bread and drizzled with more olive oil.