LONG LIVE PAPPA COL POMODORO... POMÌ-STYLE!

A young Rita Pavone once sang “viva la pappa col pomodoro” - long live pappa col pomodoro. We couldn’t agree more! Simple, authentic, sustainable and delicious, pappa col pomodoro - a soup made from tomato and stale bread - is a masterpiece of Italian cooking.

Here are all the reasons why pappa col pomodoro is one of our all-time favorite comfort foods.

A simple Tuscan dish

Pappa col pomodoro is a quintessentially Italian dish which originates from Tuscany, as you might have guessed from its main ingredients: tomatoes, Tuscan sciocco bread (usually made without salt), extra virgin olive oil and other flavorings (garlic, basil, salt and pepper).

Pappa col pomodoro and waste-free cooking

As with many traditional recipes, one of the keys to pappa col pomodoro is that fact that it uses up ingredients that would otherwise go to waste. Created on the large, wood-fired hearths of peasant kitchens, the dish took stale bread and turned it into a soft, flavorsome, delicious soup.

Excellent served hot on a wintery evening but equally delicious when eaten at room temperature in the summer, the dish is a winner every time thanks to its authentic flavors. Quite simply, its simplicity is its biggest asset.

Pappa col pomodoro in popular culture

Cited in Artusi's famous recipe book, pappa col pomodoro became popular thanks first to Giamburrasca and later to Rita Pavone. It’s now a universally loved dish that everybody loves putting their own spin on.

Some call it pappa col pomodoro, while for others it’s pappa al pomodoro. There is a lively debate regarding its place of birth: some sources claim it originated in rural Siena, while others believe it was first created in the countryside around Florence.

It's similarly tricky to find consensus on how to prepare the dish, let alone on which flavorings should be used. Some add onion, some swear by garlic alone, others add a sage leaf to the mix and others still are basil purists.

One thing’s for sure: what was once considered a simple peasants’ dish is now a firm favorite with everyone from chefs, who love its flavor and textures, to nutritionists, who see it as a fantastic healthy meal, and even us here at Pomì, where we have lots of different variations on the theme - all of them delicious! Check out our summer version, using chopped tomatoes, or try our homely recipe, which uses finely chopped tomatoes to recreate the authentic flavors of the countryside. Alternatively, give our zero-waste recipe for filled pappa col pomodoro ravioli a go!

What’s your favorite masterpiece?