Panzanella
I have a special place in my heart for recipes that help utilize scraps, or leftovers, or bits of food that would otherwise be overlooked or discarded. It feels extra fulfilling to cook this way. Panzanella is a great example, since it offers a way to resurrect stale bread. To make panzanella, the bread is tossed with olive oil and vinegar (I add Dijon mustard, too), as well as juicy, summer veg like tomatoes and cucumber, plus lots of basil. The bread then soaks up the oil, vinegar, and juices from the vegetables. It gets a beautiful texture, too - mostly soft, with a bit of crunch remaining in the crust. Panzanella is such a crowd pleaser of a salad, since the main ingredient is bread, and it’s a great dish to make to celebrate the exquisiteness of summer produce.
Panzanella
serves 4
about 1/2 loaf crusty stale bread, sliced and torn or cubed
1/4 cup olive oil, plus more for drizzling the bread
2 garlic cloves, finely grated or minced
1/2 red onion, diced
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
sea salt
freshly ground black pepper
2-3 medium tomatoes, cut into chunks or cubed
1 medium cucumber, peeled if needed, sliced into half-moons
large handful basil, torn or sliced
Preheat the oven to 350° C (175° F). Put the bread on a large baking sheet, drizzle with some oil, and add the garlic. Mix to coat the bread in the oil and garlic. Toast in the oven for about 15 minutes, or until crispy, but not too dried out.
In a large bowl, combine the onion, vinegar, mustard, salt, and pepper to taste. Whisk to combine. Slowly stream in the 1/4 cup olive oil, whisking simultaneously to help emulsify the oil, until smooth. Taste the dressing for salt and adjust if needed.
Add the bread, tomatoes, cucumber, and basil to the bowl with the dressing. Mix well to combine. Taste a piece of bread for oil and acidity. If it seems dry, drizzle the salad with a little more olive oil (keeping in mind that the bread will absorb more of the dressing as it sits). If it tastes like it needs more of a kick, add another splash of vinegar. Let the panzanella sit for at least an hour before serving, or overnight in the fridge.
Intuitive Cooking Takeaways
This recipe can be adapted to any season. Add any raw or cooked seasonal vegetables and try switching up the herbs - sage in the fall, rosemary in the winter, dill or mint in the spring, etc.