Holly Smith’s recipe for Pappa al Pomodoro

Holly Smith, a contestant on Food Network’s “The Next Iron Chef,“ praises this vinegary tomato and bread soup as being the perfect kid food — they can get their hands messy while mashing the bread into the tomatoes. That may be the case, but the 5-year-old tester still wouldn’t touch it. He doesn’t like tomatoes. His loss. It was delicious.

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PAPPA AL POMODORO

Start to finish: 20 minutes

Servings: 6

2 pounds tomatoes, cored and chopped

2 to 3 slices ciabatta, torn or cut into small chunks

1 cup extra-virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons finely chopped garlic

2 tablespoons kosher salt

1 to 2 teaspoons cayenne pepper (to taste)

1 to 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

1 to 2 tablespoons sherry vinegar

1/4 cup chopped fresh basil

In a large non-reactive bowl, combine the tomatoes and bread. Set aside.

In a saute pan over medium, combine the olive oil and garlic. Cook, stirring often, until the garlic turns just golden. Remove the pan from the heat and stir into the tomatoes and bread.

Season with 1 tablespoon of the salt and the cayenne. Use your hands to mix and work the ingredients until uniformly chunky smooth. Add 1 tablespoon each of the balsamic and sherry vinegars. Mix well, then taste. Add more vinegar if desired. While mixing, discard any excess tomato skins.

Adjust seasonings, then mix in the basil. Serve at room temperature. If desired, drizzle with additional olive oil.

(Recipe from Holly Smith, of Food Network’s “The Next Iron Chef”)