Tuscan tomato and bread soup (Pappa al pomodoro)

1. Score a cross in the skin of the ripe tomatoes, put them in boiling water for 1 minute, then dip into cold water and peel, deseed and dice; cut the crust off the stale bread and tear the inside into 2-3 cm pieces.

2. In a saucepan, cook the thinly sliced garlic gently in the olive oil for 2 minutes until fragrant but not browned.

3. Add the tomatoes, a pinch of sugar and a little salt and simmer for 10-15 minutes until the tomatoes break down and thicken.

4. Pour in the hot stock, bring to the boil, stir in the bread and half the basil and cook over low heat, stirring often, for 10-15 minutes until the bread has completely broken down into a thick, porridge-like "pappa".

5. Take off the heat, season with salt and pepper and leave covered for at least 15 minutes so the flavours come together.

6. Serve warm or at room temperature with the remaining torn basil and a generous drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.

Tip: This soup is only as good as its tomatoes: in summer make it with ripe, deep red ones; in winter you can use 2 tins of good-quality peeled tomatoes.