Daily Diary Excerpt

Today's dish is perfect for a rainy day.

Pappa al Pomodoro

Bread and Tomato Soup

This is an extremely thick soup. You can add more water to make the dish soupier if you like.

serves 4-6

1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

1 leek, white part only, washed well and chopped

1/4 cup chopped red onion

6 cloves garlic, chopped

1 cup white wine

1/2 cup fresh basil, cut into strips

1 1/2 pounds ripe tomatoes, peeled and seeded (if you have time) and chopped

2 1/2 cups water

1 1/2 cups cubed day old bread

salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste

1/2 cup freshly grated parmigiano-reggiano cheese

Place 1/4 cup of the olive oil, the leek, onion and garlic in a large pot and heat over medium. When the mixture starts to color, after 6 to 7 minutes, add the wine, and let it reduce completely, about 5 minutes. Reduce the heat to low and add 1/4 cup of the basil, the tomatoes, and the water. Cook for 15 minutes. Add the bread, and stir occasionally for 20 minutes. Add salt and pepper, and cook for another 10 minutes. Then add the remaining 1/4 cup basil, and cook for a final 10 minutes. The soup is ready and will be very thick.

Pour it into individual bowls and top each serving with a tablespoon of the remaining olive oil and 2 tablespoons of the cheese.