Why This Recipe Works

For our version of this classic Tuscan tomato and bread dish, we started by grating the tomatoes, which quickly reduced their flesh to pulp without any need to peel or chop them. After gently sautéing sliced garlic cloves in olive oil, we added the pulp, salt, pepper, red pepper flakes, basil sprigs, water, and thinly sliced rustic bread. Adding water ensured that the dish didn't end up too dry, and thinly slicing rather than cubing the bread helped it break down and soften quickly and evenly. After cooking, covered, at a vigorous simmer, the bread was completely softened and the pappa had thickened. Finishing the dish with more oil, along with fresh basil and Parmesan cheese, contributed richness and a vegetal brightness to this luscious, velvety, and warming mixture.

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Before You Begin

Use the ripest in-season tomatoes you can find. Do not use plum tomatoes; the dish will be too dry. For the bread, we prefer a round rustic loaf with a chewy, open crumb; fresh or stale bread will work here. Slice the bread as thin as possible; the slices needn't be perfect or fully intact since they break down during cooking. Stirring, especially near the end of cooking, helps prevent the pappa al pomodoro from sticking. Serve this hot, warm, or at room temperature.

Instructions

Place box grater in medium bowl. Rub cut surface of tomatoes against large holes of grater until tomato flesh is reduced to pulp (skins should remain intact). Discard skins. (You should have about 4 cups pulp.)

Combine oil and garlic in large Dutch oven and cook over medium heat until garlic is golden at edges, 3 to 4 minutes. Add tomato pulp, salt, pepper, red pepper flakes, water, basil sprigs, and bread (tear slices to fit in pot as necessary), and stir to combine so all bread is moistened.

Bring to boil over high heat. Adjust heat to medium; cover; and simmer vigorously, stirring and mashing bread occasionally, until bread is fully softened and broken down, 15 to 18 minutes (mixture will not be completely smooth). Off heat, discard basil sprigs. Divide among serving bowls, drizzle with extra oil, and sprinkle with chopped basil. Serve, passing Parmesan separately.