Pappa al Pomodoro: the solution to decrepit crotchety French bread

      With a boulangerie at every corner, and delicious loaves of bread costing no more than 2 euros, how does the hungry traveler (or resident) not overbuy bread?  For me, its a weekly occurrence.  I love the fresh bread of boulangeries, and even the grocery stores, but rarely can you receive a piece for the solo cook.  And, like all fresh bead, it doesn't stay fresh for long.  This is where this recipe come in handy.  Both the texture of French breads as well as the difficult of finishing a whole loaf in one night only enhance the textures and flavors of this soup.  I must confess it is not my recipe; I credit Diana Ross Worthington and her book, "Seriously Simple", providing seriously simple yet incredibly savoury recipes for beginner, advanced, and bored cooks.

      I have made this soup twice already and I am sure to make it again, now that I have a new loaf of bread sitting on my kitchen shelf .  Feel free to change the recipe how you want...bon appetit!

Serving: 2 persons

Ingredients 

--1 12z can of diced tomatoes (or can of whole tomatoes that you can cut up)

--handful of chopped fresh basil  (can use dried basil just put a tablespoon or two in instead)

--half a handful of chopped fresh sage  (can use dried sage as well, tablespoon or two)

--2 garlic cloves (Note: Garlic cloves in France are Strong, capital S, use half the amount of garlic if you are cooking in France, unless you can't get enough of it, comme moi:)

--olive oil(thinly fill the bottom of a small pot; more for garnish in bowls as at end)

--2 cups vegetable or chicken stock  (canned or bouillon will do)

-quarter to half loaf of some sort of day old French bread, cut into 1 inch cubes.  You want it chewy and un-edible when it goes into the soup, because the broth will soak it up.  You can also use frozen bread, but I prefer a drier bread for soaking purposes.

(Note: if you do not have old bread, wait, lol, leave it out without anything on it.  Or, ask about old bread at your grocery store, or see if there is any discounted bread which also works).  

--Garnish: salt, pepper, a cheese you prefer (parmesian, creme fraiche, sour cream are all delicious)

Directions:  

--Heat olive oil in a medium pot.

--Add chopped garlic, sage and basil and let it aroma out for a minute

--Add the tomatoes and broth and bring to a boil, then let simmer for ten minutes covered

--Add bread cubes, enough so that they cover the surface area, but don't overcrowd the pot: they will expand

--Let simmer for another five to ten minutes covered, depending on how much soaking you want to get done.

--After serving, add whatever suits your fancy: I usually add pepper flakes, creme fraiche (sour cream), and olive oil.  The creme fraiche creams it out if the soup is too acidic for your taste.