Regional cooking challenge during the COVID-19

The past three months the lock-down gave us the opportunity to know better the Italian cuisine. No wonder that all of us experienced and put their hands on, in a more or less successful way, the different Italian regional recipes.

That opportunity gave us the idea us to put together a remote and virtual cooking challenge among 4 regions of Italy and prepare 4 easy recipes, and make a sort of virtual challenge.

Today you can self experience!
We have selected 4 of them that we share with you the winner, Tuscany with Pappa al Pomodoro.

These the selected Regions and relevant dish:
Tuscany Pappa al Pomodoro
Lazio Bucatini all’ Amatriciana
Sicily Melanzane ripiene 
Campania Mozzarella in carrozza

PAPPA AL POMODORO

Among the great regional classics there is certainly the recipe for a Tuscan tomato PAPPA (porridge) a great dish, born as a poor dish of peasants origin, is so good that it then spread throughout Italy. In summer, when tomatoes are at the right time to be harvested and eaten, it is the right season to bring it to the table. Also because you can it cold.

Try this recipe and if you love regional Tuscan dishes.
It is a good start, easy and tasty.

INGREDIENTS

  • Unsalted stale Tuscan bread (never use bread with salt)
  • Leak or onion
  • Ripe tomatoes
  • 1 Sprig of basil
  • Oil
  • Pepper
  • Salt

PREPARATION

  1. To make the pappa al pomodoro start by preparing the vegetable broth. Boil the vegetables (carrots, celery, tomatoes and onions) for about an hour in abundant salted water, then filter the broth through and keep it aside. Of course you can use also vegetable nut but it won’t be the same flavor.
  2. To prepare the tomato pappa  just like we traditionally do in Tuscany, you will first need to take a kilo of tomatoes, wash them and engrave a cross on the bottom of the tomatoes.
    Bring a pot full of water to a boil, then, as soon as it boils, dip the tomatoes, which will have to boil for about a minute.
    In the meantime you will have prepared a nice large bowl filled with cold water and ice cubes in which you will have to put the tomatoes as soon as the bleaching minute in boiling water has passed.
    Once all the tomatoes are seared, you will have to remove the peel that will come off very easily just because of the thermal shock between boiling and iced water. Then cut them into small pieces, collect them in a bowl and set them aside.
    Of course you can use also canned tomatoes, although the taste will be different.
  3. Wash the leek, remove any ugliest external leaves and the green part while you will have to slice the white part very thinly. Do the same if you use onion (with onion the taste will be stronger)
    Heat the extra virgin olive oil in a saucepan very well, then add the leek and let it simmer over moderate heat.
  4. Add the peeled tomatoes and set aside the leek in the casserole, season with basil and leave to cook on moderate heat for a few minutes.
  5. Meanwhile, cut the stale bread into pieces and add it to the saucepan as soon as it is ready. Let the bread absorb all the sauce and become flavored with it.
  6. At this point you must wet the preparation with light vegetable broth, salt if the broth is not already salty and cook over medium-low heat.
    Add, at your pleasure, other basil leaves to intensify the flavor.
  7. The tomato pappa will have to cook for about 15/20 minutes or until the broth has completely evaporated or absorbed and a baby food will result. The cooking time depends on the consistency you wish to obtain, but also a lot on the bread used.
  8. Serve the pappa al pomodoro hot or at room temperature with a nice round of raw extra virgin olive oil , a couple of basil leaves and a sprinkling of salt and pepper.