By pan-frying the bread cubes first, this recipe for pan-fried sourdough breadand tomato soup results in a unique taste twist from the more traditionalItalian classic soup.

Never one much for tradition, I wanted to see what would happen if I took a backward approach to a classic Italian soup.

Bread and tomato soup — known as pappa al pomodoro — is a wonderful way of using up stale bread and overripe tomatoes. It produces a richly savory soup that is thick and satisfying enough to make a meal of.

It typically is made by sauteing onions and garlic, then adding tomatoes and cooking. Just before serving, cubes of stale bread, chopped fresh basil and a bit of chicken broth are stirred in. My approach reversed the order, pan-frying the cubes of bread in olive oil until crisp, then adding the tomatoes.

Delicious results. The bread retained a nice chew and the tomatoes — which were cooked for far less time than they typically would be — also had a nicer texture. It was a keeper.

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By pan-frying the bread cubes first, this recipe for pan-fried sourdough bread and tomato soup results in a unique taste twist from the more traditional Italian classic soup.associated press