Panzanella
A classic Italian salad that features fresh ripe tomatoes and stale bread tossed with a simple dressing.
Ingredients
- ⅓ ciabatta baguette about 2 cups when cubed
- 1 tsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 clove fresh garlic, peeled
- 2½ - 3 cups diced ripe juicy tomatoes do not use paste tomatoes
- ½ tsp course salt
- ½ field cucumber, diced
- 1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tsp red wine vinegar
- ¼ tsp cracked black pepper
- ¼ cup loosely packed basil leaves
Instructions
- Slice ciabatta baguette in half lengthwise. Brush each cut side with ½ tsp olive oil. Grill cut side down only until slightly browning, do not char. When bread has cooled enough to handle, rub a garlic clove over cut side to infuse with flavour. Cut baguettes into bite sized cubes and allow to sit on cutting board to dry out.
- Cut tomatoes into similar sized pieces as bread. Sprinkle course salt over top and gently stir. Allow to sit at room temperature for 30 minutes to release juices.
- Cut cucumber in half or quarters lengthwise, depending on the thickness, then into pieces. Add to salad bowl along with baguette cubes. Using a slotted spoon, remove tomatoes from juice and add to salad mixture.
- Whisk together the other 1 Tbsp of olive oil, vinegar and cracked black pepper. Add about 2 Tbsp of reserved tomato juice to dressing. Pour over salad. Toss and let rest for 15 minutes.
- Tear basil and toss with salad. If bread is still dry, add extra tomato juice if desired.
Nutrition
Calories: 137kcalCarbohydrates: 20.3gProtein: 3.7gFat: 5.1gSaturated Fat: 0.7gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.6gMonounsaturated Fat: 3.3gSodium: 447mgPotassium: 378mgFiber: 2.7gSugar: 4.6g
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