Jan 5, 2011 By J.M. Hirsch ap Food Editor 2 min read

Never one much for tradition, I wanted to see what would happen if I took a backward approach to a classic Italian soup. Bread and tomato soup – known as pappa al pomodoro – is a wonderful way of using up stale bread and overripe tomatoes. It produces a richly savory soup that is thick and satisfying enough to make a meal of.

It typically is made by sauteing onions and garlic, then adding tomatoes and cooking. Just before serving, cubes of stale bread, chopped fresh basil and a bit of chicken broth are stirred in. My approach reversed the order, pan-frying the cubes of bread in olive oil until crisp, then adding the tomatoes.

Delicious results. The bread retained a nice chew and the tomatoes – which were cooked for far less time than they typically would be – also had a nicer texture. It was a keeper.

PAN-FRIED SOURDOUGH BREAD AND TOMATO SOUP

Start to finish: 20 minutes

Servings: 4

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 pound sourdough bread, cut into 1- to 2-inch cubes (about 8 cups)

1/4 cup white wine

1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

28-ounce can diced tomatoes

1 cup chicken broth

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Salt and ground black pepper, to taste

Balsamic vinegar, to taste

In a large saucepan over medium-high, heat the olive oil. Add the bread and toast, stirring frequently, for 5 minutes. The bread will quickly absorb the oil. Keep the bread moving in the pan so it toasts, but doesn’t burn.

Add the wine, then continue toasting the bread for another 5 minutes.

Add the thyme, oregano and garlic powder, then cook for another for 2 minutes.

Add the tomatoes and chicken broth, then mix well but gently. Continue cooking until heated through, then stir in the cheese. When the cheese is melted into the soup, season with salt, pepper and a splash of balsamic vinegar.

Nutrition information per serving (values are rounded to the nearest whole number): 503 calories; 163 calories from fat (32 percent of total calories); 18 g fat (3 g saturated; 0 g trans fats); 10 mg cholesterol; 59 g carbohydrate; 18 g protein; 7 g fiber; 1,585 mg sodium.

EDITOR’S NOTE: Food Editor J.M. Hirsch is author of the new cookbook “High Flavor, Low Labor: Reinventing Weeknight Cooking.”

He can be e-mailed at jhirsch@ap.org.