Pappa al Pomodoro: Tomato Soup

Ingredients:

Soup

• 2 tbsp. l. olive oil
• 110 g pancetta, diced
• 1 small red onion, halved
• 1 carrot, cut in half
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
• 3/4 teaspoon coarse salt
• 2 cans of 400g canned chopped or pureed tomatoes
• 2 cups lightly salted chicken broth or vegetable broth + up to 1 cup extra
• 4 cups of stale bread cubes (2 cm each)
• 2 sprigs of basil
• 5 cm Parmesan rind
• 1 tbsp. grated parmesan

For serving

• 1/4 tbsp. grated parmesan
• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 tbsp chopped fresh basil

Preparation:

1. Heat a medium Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the olive oil and pancetta and cook until crisp, about 4 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate to drain.
2. Add the red onion, carrot, garlic, and red pepper to the pot. Reduce the heat to medium and cook, stirring frequently, until fragrant, 1 minute. Add the salt, canned tomatoes, chicken broth, and bread cubes; stir to distribute evenly. Garnish with basil sprigs and Parmesan rind. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat. Stir in the pancetta.
3. Simmer the soup for 25 minutes, stirring frequently to break up the bread and prevent the Parmesan rind from sticking to the bottom of the pot. If the soup becomes too thick, add more broth; the finished soup should be silky and thickened. Add grated Parmesan.
4. To serve, ladle the soup into bowls, sprinkle with Parmesan and finely chopped basil, and drizzle with olive oil.