Panzanella (Tuscan Bread Salad)
A recipe for Panzanella (Tuscan Bread Salad) from the cookbook, Pomegranates & Artichokes. This summer salad is packed with bread, tomatoes, onion, cucumber, and basil.
Servings 4 -6 Servings
Ingredients
- 2 small onions or 1 large one
- 1/4 cup (60 milliliters) vinegar, such as white wine vinegar plus extra for the onions
- 1 pound 2 ounces (500 grams) good-quality crusty bread a few days old
- 1 pound 2 ounces (500 grams) tomatoes
- 2 large cucumbers peeled and quartered, then deseeded if particularly seedy
- 2 teaspoons salt or to taste
- 1/3 cup (80 milliliters) olive oil
- Large handful basil leaves
- Freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Thinly slice the onions and leave them to soak in a small bowl with some water and a small splash of the vinegar, just to take the sharpness from the raw onions.
- Cut the hard crusts off the bread and place the crusts in a large bowl.
- Add a splash of water so that the crust starts to soak.
- Dice the remaining bread and add to the bowl with enough water to soak the bread without losing its consistency; the exact amount of water depends on your type of bread and how old it is. Add 2 tablespoons of the vinegar and leave for 10-20 minutes.
- Now slice and quarter the tomatoes directly above the bowl of bread, because we don't want to lose even one drop of the tomato juices.
- Drain the onion and add to the bowl, together with the cucumbers.
- Add the salt, olive oil, and remaining vinegar. Tear in the basil leaves.
- Give it all a good toss, then season to taste with more salt and some black pepper.
- The Panzanella is best served after resting for about 30 minutes. You could serve some milky mozzarella on the side.