Yes, one of my favourites! Also, the Lombardian zuppa alla pavese, another favourite. Here are the recipes, from Cucina Italiana, compiled by the Accademia Italiana della Cucina.
Barb's rhubarb CakeI've been invited over for dinner. I thought I'd take a cake, barb's cake. So I asked if...
Victor
Pappa col pomodoro
9 ounces stale coarse bread 1 1-2 pounds ripe tomatoes (or subsbreastute canned) 4 cloves garlic 1 sprig parsley 2 basil leaves scant 4 1-2 cups meat stock 1 tablespoon olive oil salt freshly ground pepper
Cut the bread into even rounds and toast lightly in the oven. Rinse the tomatoes, cut them in half and scoop out the seeds. Peel the garlic cloves and leave whole. Place with the tomatoes, parsley and basil leaves in a saucepan. SautŽ lightly for a few minutes, then put the contents through a sieve and return to the saucepan (canned tomatoes can be put through a sieve at once). Add the stock, the toasted bread, the oil, salt to taste and plenty of pepper. Simmer slowly until the soup is thick. Serve hot or chilled.
Zuppa alla pavese
scant 4 1-2 cups defatted meat stock 1 tablespoon butter 4 slices stale white loaf bread (or French bread) 4 eggs freshly ground white pepper grated Parmesan cheese
Preheat the oven to 350¡F. Have a good clear meat stock standing by on a slow simmer. Fry the bread in butter until a light gold on both sides, turning carefully so that the slices do not crumble. Place one slice each in 4 ovenproof bowls. Break one egg on to each slice and put the bowls quickly into the preheated oven so that the white sets. Just before serving pour 1 ladleful boiling stock into each bowl and sprinkle the top with ground pepper and grated cheese.
