Ah, Florence -- that beautiful Northern Italian city split snugly along the banks of the winding Arno River. After Rome and Venice, Florence is one of the biggest draws for international tourism in Italy. And it's with good reason that millions flock there every year -- between the art and the local cuisine, Florence offers endless options to the foreign traveler (myself included). When I lived in Milan, I would occassionally take gastro-tourism trips to Florence to enjoy the rich Tuscan cuisine. I was lucky enough to have a couple of Italian friends who were willing to help me pick through extensive menus and wine lists to find the most authentic, or as the Italians say, the "tipica" foods of the region.
If you've been to Florence, you've probably tried Florentine steak (bistecca fiorentina) and Chianti, but very few people have tried my favorite Tuscan dish, Il Papa di Pomodoro. Loosely, translated, the name means "the pope of the tomato". Even if the name is lost in translation, this peasant dish is totally delish!
To make Il Papa di Pomodoro at home, all you need is stale Tuscan bread, crushed tomatoes and olive oil. Put the bread in the crushed tomatoes, add oil and allow the natural process of disintegration and absorption to take hold. Allow the mixture sit over night, and when you're ready to eat it, just heat up the papa as you would any other soup or stew.
On a personal note, I think the flavor is enhanced by extra sea salt -- Tuscan bread is typically prepared without salt, so if you're not used to it, you might find that the dish needs a little somethin'-somethin'.
Buon'appetito!
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