Panzanella Recipe

Oh Panzanella...how I love thee so. After Farro Salad, Panzanella is my 2nd favorite go-to summer salad to make. Especially on a budget! When I was living in Lucca for a couple months during the summer, I'd bounce between these two salads all the time because they were tasty and made a LOT for not much money! Plus, making them in the summer has the added benefit of all the fresh seasonal produce that make them even more delicious. 

They're actually really similar recipes too. Nearly identical actually except this recipe has the added tasty ingredient of fresh croutons! Traditionally, Panzanella is made with stale bread which is then softened with water to make edible again, then tossed with all the other ingredients. ​I like to make mine with day old focaccia which is a whole other level of YUM! 

Photo via Lifestyle Food

Panzanella

Ingredients:

• 1 pound of day old focaccia or rustic bread (fresh can work too)
• 3 cups of chopped tomatoes, any color! Even cherry tomatoes halved work well
• 1 red onion, chopped into chunks 
• 1 medium cucumber, peels and chopped
• Basil, 1 handful washed and finely chopped
• 1-3 garlic cloves (I also LOVE lots of garlic in mine so feel free to adjust)
• Extra virgin olive oil, between 1/2-1 cup
• Red wine vinegar, between 1/4 - 1/2 cup (again, I love lots of vinegar so adjust if you like less)
• Dried red pepper flakes, oregano, salt and pepper to taste
  • Optional ingredients: capers, bell peppers, parsley, olives, fennel, arugula

Directions:

1. Chop your bread into 1 inch chunks, toss with lots of olive oil and lay out on a baking sheet. If it's unsalted bread, sprinkle with salt.
2. Toast the bread until golden at 375. If using stale bread, you won't need to toast as long as fresh. Set aside to cool down.
3. While bread is toasting, wash and chop all the veggies: tomatoes, onion and cucumbers.
4. Assemble your dressing with the chopped garlic, herbs, oil, basil and vinegar. 
5. When your bread is cool, place in a bowl. Add all the chopped veggies and drizzle with your dressing to taste (I love lots of dressing on mine as it softens the bread a bit)
6. Plate, grab a glass of chilled white wine and enjoy!