Name: Pappa al pomodoro
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 95 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: 300 g Stale Tuscan bread (About 4 thick slices, unsalted if available.); 800 g Peeled tomatoes (With their juice, crushed by hand.); 2 cloves Garlic (Peeled and lightly crushed.); 60 ml Extra-virgin olive oil (40 ml for cooking and 20 ml to finish.); 20 leaves Fresh basil (Torn by hand.); 1,250 ml Water (1 liter cold for soaking, discarded; 250 ml hot for cooking, plus a little if needed.); Salt (To taste.)

Squeeze the soaked bread firmly before adding it to the tomatoes. Stir until the crumb breaks down but keeps a little texture. The hour of resting lets the bread absorb the sauce; loosen with a splash of hot water if needed before serving.

By Italia Magnifica · Updated October 2026

Prep: 10 min
Cook: 25 min
Rest: 1 hr
Serves: 4
Difficulty: Easy

Pappa al pomodoro

Prep 10 min · Cook 25 min · Rest 1 hr · Serves 4 · Difficulty Easy

Ingredients

Skip to the method

4 servings

300 g10½ oz
Stale Tuscan breadAbout 4 thick slices, unsalted if available.About 4 thick slices, unsalted if available.
800 g1¾ lb
Peeled tomatoesWith their juice, crushed by hand.With their juice, crushed by hand.
2 cloves2 cloves
GarlicPeeled and lightly crushed.Peeled and lightly crushed.
60 ml¼ cup
Extra-virgin olive oil40 ml for cooking and 20 ml to finish.2¾ tbsp for cooking and 1¼ tbsp to finish.
20 leaves20 leaves
Fresh basilTorn by hand.Torn by hand.
1,250 ml5¼ cups
Water1 liter cold for soaking, discarded; 250 ml hot for cooking, plus a little if needed.4¼ cups cold for soaking, discarded; 1 cup hot for cooking, plus a little if needed.
SaltTo taste.To taste.

Method

Put the bread in a bowl with 1 liter cold water and soak for 10 minutes. Meanwhile crush the tomatoes, keeping all their juice.Put the bread in a bowl with 4¼ cups cold water and soak for 10 minutes. Meanwhile crush the tomatoes, keeping all their juice.
Warm 40 ml oil in the saucepan with the garlic over low heat for 2–3 minutes, without browning the garlic. Add the tomatoes and a little salt.Warm 2¾ tbsp oil in the saucepan with the garlic over low heat for 2–3 minutes, without browning the garlic. Add the tomatoes and a little salt.
Simmer for about 10 minutes, stirring, until the tomatoes soften and break down. Squeeze the bread firmly in your hands and crumble it into the pan.Simmer for about 10 minutes, stirring, until the tomatoes soften and break down. Squeeze the bread firmly in your hands and crumble it into the pan.
Add 250 ml hot water and simmer gently for about 10 minutes. Stir vigorously from time to time to break up the bread. The mixture should be thick and soft; add a little more hot water if it becomes dry.Add 1 cup hot water and simmer gently for about 10 minutes. Stir vigorously from time to time to break up the bread. The mixture should be thick and soft; add a little more hot water if it becomes dry.
Remove the garlic. Turn off the heat, stir in the torn basil and the remaining 20 ml oil, and adjust the salt.Remove the garlic. Turn off the heat, stir in the torn basil and the remaining 1¼ tbsp oil, and adjust the salt.
Leave to rest for 1 hour. Serve lukewarm, or warm it gently before serving, loosening with a splash of water if needed.Leave to rest for 1 hour. Serve lukewarm, or warm it gently before serving, loosening with a splash of water if needed.