Papa al tomodoro

Ingredients for 5 servings:

• 1.6 kg tomatoes, peeled (Pelati)
• 100 g shallot(s)
• 2 cloves garlic
• 7 tbsp olive oil, cold-pressed
• 2 tsp chili flakes
• 750 ml water
• 200 g bread(s), stale, e.g. ciabatta
• 1 ¼ liters vegetable broth
• salt and pepper
• 50 g Pecorino or other Italian hard cheese
• some basil leaves

Instructions

Working time approx. 15 minutes; Cooking/baking time approx. 1 hour 15 minutes; Total time approx. 1 hour 30 minutes

Italian tomato soup

Peel the shallots and dice them into small cubes. Peel and finely chop the garlic. Slowly sauté the shallots and garlic in two tablespoons of olive oil in a pan. Roughly chop the peeled tomatoes and add them to the pan along with their juice. Add the chili flakes and about 750 ml of water to the pan and stir well. Bring to a boil and simmer covered over medium heat for 15 minutes. Meanwhile, cut the bread into finger-thick slices and then into cubes. After a quarter of an hour, pour the vegetable stock into the tomatoes and stir in the bread cubes. Now cover and simmer over low heat for another 60 minutes. Important: Stir well every now and then to prevent sticking to the bottom of the pan. Finally, season with salt and pepper. To serve, divide the pappa between 5 deep plates or soup bowls, grate the cheese, and sprinkle about 10 g per serving over the top. Drizzle each plate with a tablespoon of olive oil and tear basil leaves over the top. Toasted bread goes well with it.