Pappa al Pomodoro (Italian Tomato and Bread Soup)

This classic Italian soup combines a tasty yet simple tomato soup with the joy of dipping bread into it. I found this on Bon Appetit and modified it ever so slightly -- by recommending the immersion blender -- to blend the tomato and bread into a thicker consistency. Apparently this is a soup for summer, but nothing hits the spot better than a hot bowl of soup in the cold of winter.

Ingredients

• 2 pounds tomatoes, cored, quartered
• 2 garlic cloves, smashed
• ½ teaspoon fennel seeds
• 6 tablespoons olive oil, divided, plus more
• Kosher salt, freshly ground pepper
• 4 sprigs basil
• 1/4 loaf stale country-style bread, crust removed, torn into 2" pieces (about 1 1/2 cups), divided

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 450°. Toss tomatoes, garlic, fennel seeds, and 3 Tbsp. oil in a large 
baking dish; season with salt and pepper. Roast, stirring occasionally, until the tomatoes are browned and the juices thicken, 35-45 minutes.
2. Transfer tomato mixture to a large sauce-pan. Add basil, 1 cup torn bread, and 4 cups water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer, stirring occasionally and breaking up bread and tomatoes, until bread 
is softened and soup has thickened slightly, 10-15 minutes; season with salt and pepper. Consider using an immersion blender to break up the tomatoes and bread into a porridge-like consistency.
3. Tear remaining ½ cup bread into smaller pieces. Toss on a baking sheet with 3 Tbsp. oil and salt. Toast (or broil), tossing often until crisp, 5-8 minutes.
4. Serve soup topped with toasted bread and drizzled with more oil.

Serves 4.