Papa al Pomodoro

We had this for dinner and as usual, it was a hit. This was the first time Baby Dude has had it (I haven't made it in awhile...I just hadn't thought about it!) and this is one of the first things he has thoroughly enjoyed in awhile!

It's a Rachael Ray recipe. Anytime I've seen her cook it, it honestly seems to be one of her favorites. It doesn't really sound that great. Nor does it really look that great. But she just makes it seem so great that I just had to try it. And obviously, since I'm taking the time to share it with you, it IS so great. This is not the first time I have made this dish, nor will it be the last. It's so easy you'll thinking I'm joking. The ingredients are not spectacular - you probably have them all in your pantry right now. But for whatever reason, the outcome is incredibly yummy.

*copyright note* I'm taking a lot of the following directly from Rachael Ray 365: No Repeats, page 28. If you have the book, you already have the recipe.*

It's called Papa al Pomodoro. It is a thick, stale bread soup made with tons of tomatoes. (Sounds pretty gross, huh!?!?!) There is only one way to eat this soup. If you aren't willing to follow the instructions, Rachael says to skip this recipe. We'll get to that part at the end.

Ingredients:

3 tablespoons EVOO, plus extra for drizzling
6 garlic cloves, chopped
1 large onion, finely chopped
1 15-ounce can petite diced tomatoes
1 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes - Wife's Note - I have used a leftover can of spaghetti sauce as well. Just a thought.
Salt and Pepper
1 quart (4 cups) chicken stock or broth - Wife's Note - I use about 3 cups instead.
4 cups torn stale bread (about 1/2 pound)
2 15-ounce cans small white beans
Grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, to pass at the table
Fresh basil leaves, torn (optional)

Heat 3 tbsp EVOO over medium heat in a large pot. Add garlic and 3/4 of the onions. Cook for 7-8 minutes, then add diced and crushed tomatoes. Season with salt and pepper. *Careful with the salt depending on your stock/broth.* Add stock and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and add beans and bread. Stir as it simmers until it thickens to a stew-like consistency. A wooden spoon should be able to stand upright in the pot.

Turn off heat, adjust seasonings, and ladle into shallow bowls. HERE IS THE IMPORTANT PART. DO NOT ATTEMPT THIS RECIPE WITHOUT THE FOLLOWING. Top with grated cheese, an additional drizzle of EVOO, a spoonful of the reserved finely chopped raw onions, and torn basil. The basil, AND ONLY THE BASIL, is optional.

So, there's the dinner. I'll be honest with you, I'm not a huge fan of raw onions. But, it's basically an order, not just part of the recipe. So I did it. And I would never do it without it. And the extra EVOO? What's that about?? Trust me, just do it. You won't regret it.

This goes very nicely with a simple spinach salad. Since Baby Dude doesn't eat spinach salads, I cut up spinach and put it in the bottom of his bowl, then put the soup on top and mixed. He totally ate his entire bowl and wanted more.