In a nonstick saucepan where you’ll cook everything, drizzle a little olive oil, then add the onion thinly sliced into julienne strips and one garlic clove (germ removed), finely chopped. Cover and cook over low heat, adding a small ladle of broth as needed to prevent burning.

Once the onion is soft, let any excess liquid evaporate so only the oil and onion remain. Add the bread, broken into large chunks (not too small!), and stir constantly to let it soak up the flavors without burning. The bread will absorb the taste of the onion and garlic. Turn off the heat and set aside.

Prepare the tomatoes: In a high-sided skillet, drizzle a little olive oil, add the other garlic clove (halved and germ removed), and plenty of basil torn by hand. Sauté over low heat for a moment to infuse the oil.

Add the crushed tomatoes, cherry tomatoes cut in half, chili pepper, and salt. Stir a couple of times, then cover and cook over low heat until the sauce thickens a bit and is ready. I cooked it for about 15 minutes.

Pour the tomato mixture into the saucepan with the bread, mix well with a spoon, then add enough broth to cover. Cook covered for about 20 minutes. By the end, the bread should be fully cooked and you shouldn’t see any broth left, but it shouldn’t be dry either.