Pappa al pomodoro

Born in Rome, Bernardo has spent many years working in Modena – first at Osteria Francescana and then at Franceschetta58 – before moving to Dubai last year, where he is now Chef at Massimo Bottura’s Torno Subito restaurant. Despite being miles away from Italy, Bernardo’s Pappa al Pomodoro smells and tastes like home and family.

At Torno Subito in Dubai, his Pappa al Pomodoro is served as an amuse-bouche made with recovered bread, one of the most wasted ingredients and yet one of the most valuable ones.
“The most important dish is the one that welcomes people,” says Bernardo. “The Pappa al Pomodoro has bread at the bottom, covered with tomato, basil and oil and on top a bread crust and Parmesan foam. It is the smallest dish we have in our menu, but, at the same time, the most important: is not just about aesthetic, it’s about the ethic too.”

The recipe is thought to be zero-waste. Restaurants have to ensure they have the right amount of bread available, but they often don’t know the number of guests in advance, so they end up having surplus produce. But in no time the Parmesan rind and leftover bread can be turned into a dish for the following day.