Tomato Tomatoe

panzanella salad

Panzanella is a classic Italian salad that comes from Tuscany and Umbria. It was considered a peasant dish since it made use of stale bread. The stale bread would soak up the tomato juices and olive oil. In Tuscany, bread is often made without salt which results in the bread going stale faster. When this dish is prepared in North America, the chunks of bread are usually baked in the oven with olive oil to avoid soggy pieces of bread.

Whenever I make this salad, I’m always reminded of the simple, yet bold flavors that this dish presents. The juicy summer tomatoes, fresh garden basil, creamy cheese, good olive oil and crunchy bread are a match made in salad heaven. This salad is the best during the summer months when produce is at its peak ripeness. The bread is addictive in this salad because its crunchy in the middle, yet slightly softened on the outside from soaking up the olive oil and vinegar. It’s best made with stale bread, but I often toss my day-old bread in olive oil and bake it in the oven for an additional level of crunch. I saw a panzanella salad recipe from Giada De Laurentis where she grilled a mix of vegetables and added it to the salad. I thought this would be a great addition, and now I love adding grilled zucchini to mine.

This is a really simple salad to make that doesn’t take much time to assemble. It’s a great summer salad to bring to a party as you can prep all of the ingredients in advance and assemble once you arrive. It is also quite versatile, and you can use mozzarella or feta cheese and a mix of grilled vegetables.

---

panzanella salad

Ingredients

• 2 heirloom tomatoes
• 1 shallot
• 1 medium zucchini
• 1 cup cubed feta or mozzarella cheese
• 2 cups toasted bread (baguette or country style loaf)
• handful fresh basil
• 1 clove garlic
• 2 tbsp red wine vinegar
• 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 5 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• salt and pepper

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 375° F. Slice a baguette into thick 2 inch slices. Tear the slices into large chunks. Place the torn baguette on a baking sheet. Coat in olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. Toss to coat. Bake in the oven for 15-20 minutes or until the bread is golden and toasted. Flipping halfway through.
2. Slice the zucchini lengthwise into 1 inch pieces. Brush with olive oil, salt and pepper. Grill the zucchini on a BBQ until slightly charred on both sides. This should take a few minutes.
3. While the zucchini cools, prepare the remaining ingredients. Grate the garlic into a small bowl. Add the red wine vinegar, balsamic, extra virgin olive oil, salt and pepper. Mix to combine. Set aside. Slice the onion into thin strips. Cut the tomato and zucchini into large chucks. Cube the feta.
4. Add all of the ingredients to a large bowl and add torn pieces of fresh basil. Pour the dressing over the ingredients and toss to combine. Taste for seasonings. Add more olive oil, salt and pepper if needed.