Welcome back to Under The Tuscan Gun.As promised, and long overdue, please enjoy: PAPPA AL POMODORO.Florentine farmers used to cook this soup using stale bread that was saved during the week, garlic, tomatoes and basil from their gardens: this is the most humble dish I know,well, after boiled white rice...Now, if you go to a restaurant, the tradition is slowly disappearing, and it is becoming very hard to find a good old recipe that works; that's why Deb and I decided to feature in this first episode two very dear friends of ours, Rosanna and Matteo. The good recipes are still secretly hidden into very old Tuscan homes, like The Farm Pacina, in Castelnuovo Berardenga, a little town that rests on the hills between the Chianti Area and Siena.Pacina was originally an Etruscan site, then it became a convent in the nine hundreds and after eight centuries the property was sold by the church and became private. Today Pacina is an Agriturismo and a Yoga retreat, Olive Oil and Wine are produced and distributed in Tuscany...a place worth a long weekend!Pappa al Pomodoro (Tomatoes and Stale Bread Soup)Serves 6 (plus leftovers) Finding the right kind of bread to make Pappa is harder then actually preparing the dish. Bread should be unflavored, unsalted, not too doughy, with a crust that is actually a crust. Because you need to use stale bread, you have to give yourself some time to dry it. The best way, once you've found the right loaf, is to slice it, and lay the slices on a tray for a couple of days. In front of a sunny window would be just perfect. Ingredients: 2 T. extra virgin olive oil 5 cloves of garlic, halved 2 lbs. peeled, canned tomatoes 4 oz. fresh basil leaves, whole, with extra to garnish ˝ tsp. of salt Black pepper 3 c. of vegetable broth 1 lb. stale bread (see above), sliced thinly Salt, pepper, extra virgin olive oil. Preparation: 1. In a large stock pot, warm the olive oil on medium heat and sauté the garlic until just golden. 2. Add the tomatoes, the basil, the salt and a grind of black pepper. Cook for 15 minutes. 3. Add the vegetable broth, stir well, and bring to a boil. 4. Add the bread and cook for 10 minutes, stirring often. 5. Take soup off the heat, and let it sit for about 1 hour, so the bread will absorb as much sauce as possible. 6. Before serving, give soup a final stir. Serve warm -- not hot. (Reheat if necessary.) Consistency: You should be able to eat the Pappa with your fork. Add some broth if it's too thick and you still need to "work" the bread, or add some bread if the soup is too liquid. Absolutely do not dress it with Parmesan cheese! Garnish your dish with the remaining basil, and some extra virgin olive oil. Now you are officially a Tuscan farmer!
