Pancotto

Pancotto is an Italian bread soup created to make use of firm or stale bread. This profile follows Roma Capitale's spare Roman version, which boils bread with water, garlic and olive oil before adding marjoram and black pepper.

The soaked bread gives the soup a mellow toasted-wheat flavour and substantial body. Garlic and black pepper add savoury warmth, marjoram provides a soft herbal note and olive oil gives the otherwise austere dish richness.

The finished pancotto is thick, rustic and spoonable, with softened bread forming an elastic porridge-like body rather than distinct cubes. Olive oil glistens on its pale surface and the herbs appear as small green flecks.