PANZANELLA SALAD
This Tuscan-inspired Panzanella salad is a rustic and refreshing summer dish, that I eat almost every day during tomato season. The main ingredients are ripe tomatoes, toasted bread, and fragrant basil. It's a brilliant way to use old bread, transforming it into something crisp and flavorful. This easy salad is brought together with a light dressing of olive oil, balsamic vinegar, and salt. Letting the red onion sit briefly in the dressing softens its bite and infuses the entire dish with a tangy depth
Servings: 2
Ingredients
- 5 regular tomatoes chopped
- 12 cherry tomatoes halved
- 1/2 red onion thinly sliced
- a few slices of old bread torn or cut into chunks
- around 10 fresh basil leaves
- 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1.5 tbsp balsamic vinegar
- salt to taste
- cracked pepper to taste
Instructions
- Take the old bread and toss it with a little olive oil and salt. Toast it in a pan or air fryer until golden and crisp.
- In a large bowl, mix olive oil, a splash of balsamic vinegar, and a pinch of salt. Add the sliced onion and let it sit for about 10 minutes so it softens and absorbs the flavor.
- Add the tomaotes to the bowl with the onion and dressing. Mix gently.
- Add the toasted bread pieces to the bowl and toss everything together.
- Stack a few basil leaves, roll them tightly, and slice them into thin ribbons – this is called chiffonade. Sprinkle the basil over the salad just before serving. Add cracked pepper.
- Serve immediately so the bread stays a little crisp while absorbing the juices from the tomatoes.