Panzanella

Panzanella

Italian · Recipe

Panzanella is a vibrant Italian salad of crusty bread, ripe tomatoes, cucumbers, onions, and basil, tossed with olive oil and vinegar for a fresh, tangy, and flavour-packed summer dish.

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About this dish

Italian cuisine

Ingredients

  • 5 oz or ½ loaf of a rustic Italian bread cut into 1-inch cubes
  • Extra virgin Olive oil
  • Kosher salt
  • 2 ¼ lb ripe vine tomatoes cut into small wedges or cubes
  • ¼ cup red wine vinegar
  • 2 Garlic cloves minced
  • ½ tsp dijon mustard
  • 1 tsp fresh thyme (optional)
  • Black pepper
  • 2 Small shallots peeled and thinly sliced
  • ½ cup packed fresh basil torn
  • 4 oz fresh baby mozzarella, more for your liking

Description

Instructions

  1. Should you salt your tomatoes first? In this recipe, I highly recommend that you slice and salt your tomatoes before you make the salad. This only takes about 15 minutes or so for the salt to draw out the juices of the tomatoes.
  2. This intensifies the flavour of the tomatoes and gives you some delicious liquid to use in making the dressing! And it’s convenient, since you work on toasting your bread while the tomatoes are sitting in the colander. Although you can use cucumbers or other garden veggies that are in season, this is a simple panzanella salad, but the world is your oyster on what you would like to add or take away.
  3. Look for perfectly ripened tomatoes that are plump and heavy for their size. They should be firm with some give, and the skin should be tight without blemishes. As far as what kind of tomatoes to use, in this recipe, I used vine-ripened tomatoes, but when colourful heirloom tomatoes are in season, that’s what I like to use. If you choose to use small tomatoes like cherry tomatoes or grape tomatoes, for example, be sure to cut them in half, because if you keep them whole, you miss out on their juice, which is an important part of the tasty dressing.
  4. Dry and toast the bread. If you have the time, tear the bread up and spread it on a large baking sheet, leaving it for a few hours or overnight to dry. When you're ready, toss the bread with a bit of good olive oil and stick it in the oven for 10 to 15 minutes at 400°F until the edges get somewhat crispy (you still need the bread to be chewy). By drying your bread and toasting it first, it will absorb the delicious dressing and will become soft and delicious without getting too soggy.

Wine Pairing

Curated to complement flavours
Chianti Classico – Rocca delle Macìe

Chianti Classico – Rocca delle Macìe

<li>Bright ruby-red colour</li> <li>Intense, persistent aromas of wild berries</li> <li>Full-bodied with savoury structure and rich berry fruit</li> <li>Well?structured, with balanced tannins and lingering depth</li>
Tenuta Guado al Tasso Vermentino

Tenuta Guado al Tasso Vermentino

<li>Straw yellow with hints of green</li> <li>Floral and citrus aromas—citrus fruit, hawthorn blossoms, peach pulp</li> <li>Savoury, persistent palate, finishing fresh with citrus hints</li>