Panzanella: Bread and Tomato Salad

The first time I tried this dish was in Italy. The year was 2001 and it was my first trip overseas. I was 15 years old and I remember my first bite. Let me state that I wasn’t even a huge fan of tomatoes back then. In fact, I am ashamed to admit that I didn’t even like them. HOW EMBARRASSING.

So, anyhow… I was in Rome and this dish was put in front of me with a really good glass of Chianti. My parents took us on a tour where wine was included in the price but a coca cola with ice was $4.50 per glass, so they encouraged my brother and I to drink the vino (within reason. I mean, he was was 10)!

This dish was my first realization that tomatoes and I could potentially be pals. Fast forward to now where we are the best of friends. Panzanella is so easy to make that anyone who has had this dish in Italy brings the recipe back home. My favorite time of year to enjoy this dish is when my dad’s garden is in full bloom and we have more tomatoes than we know what to do with. We have 24 plants in our garden and we put these red rubies to good use- this salad being one of them.

This version includes onions- I like a red onion in here or a sweet Vidalia. 3 out of our 4 gardens have “black dirt” as it is locally sourced in our region and great for growing onions. If you go to the grocery store and see that your bag of onions is from “Goshen, NY”, then you are most likely getting black dirt onions too! THEY ARE THE BEST!

You can serve this salad on its own or with a plate of fresh mozzarella. I use either whole-wheat rustic Italian bread or country bread for this recipe. This is a simple way to not waste anything because you can even use 1 to 2 day-old bread

It’s easy to make and requires no stove.

Panzanella

Serves 6

Ingredients:

1 pound whole-wheat Italian or country-style bread, crust removed, cut Into 1/2-inch cubes (about 8 cups. Bread can be a day or two old)

2 pounds ripe tomatoes at room temperature, cored, seeded and cut into 1/2-inch cubes (about 4 cups)

1 cup red onion, thinly sliced

1 can white beans, rinsed and drained

15 fresh basil leaves, shredded

4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

sea salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Instructions:

1. Toss the bread, tomatoes, onion, white beans, and basil leaves in a large bowl until well mixed.

2. Drizzle the extra virgin olive oil and vinegar over the salad, and toss to mix thoroughly.

3. Season with salt and pepper to taste and let it stand for 10-15 minutes before serving.