Pappa al Pomodoro (Tuscan Bread Soup with a Sage Oil Drizzle)

Author Notes

Pappa al pomodoro is the consummate comfort food. Humble, simple, rustic, and hearty, I am always amazed that five extraordinarily basic ingredients can be cooked into something spectacular. My sister lives in Florence and over the years, I've attempted to learn Italian so that I can converse with her friends and in-laws. I practice the language whenever I can and a few years ago, at my youngest son's school, I met a wonderful Florentine woman whose daughter was in his class. In my halting Italian, the first thing I asked her was her recipe for this soup. She kindly shared it, and while I've made it my own, I think of her each time I make and enjoy this dish! —em-i-lis

Test Kitchen Notes

I'm with Em: Pappa al Pomodoro has long been one of my favorite soups, especially of a winter's eve. Hers differs from mine in that she not only leaves the bread cubes whole (I've always puréed the soup when done), but toasts them in olive oil. She's generous with her San Marzano tomatoes, and her soup -- more like a stew -- is not only silken with tender bread chunks, but also greatly satisfying because of its texture. The drizzle of sage-flavored olive oil and crunch of fried sage leaves round out her subtle yet profound layers of flavor. Hint: fry lots of extra sage leaves. You'll find yourself crunching on them while the soup finishes, and you'll want to drizzle the oil with a liberal hand. —boulangere