Panzanella ~ ~ Italian Tomato, Bread and Basil Salad!

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Bread is perfect for mopping up sauces and broth!  That's the basic idea of this wonderful, traditional Italian, fresh tomato and bread salad known as "Panzanella":  crusty, hefty, day-old bread chunks tossed into tomatoes, onions, and fresh basil with a vinaigrette dressing.  This simple and delicious salad is a creation from the central region of Italy.  Panzanella is also another great way to use those juicy tomatoes that are in the peak of the season.  You won't even have to use the oven or stove; it's a cold, lovely, and light salad full of rich flavor!  

Chopped tomatoes, red onion, and basil in vinaigrette, all juicing up nicely!  The bread soaks up up all of that wonderful juice.

 Several days-old ciabatta or sour dough bread cut into 1" cubes.  These were rock hard!

Toss everything together . . . the orange-colored bread is from the red tomato juice/vinaigrette being soaked up.

Panzanella

4 cups fresh, ripe tomatoes, cut into cubes

1 cup red onion, chopped into 1/2" pieces

20 fresh basil leaves, sliced into slivers or shredded

6 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil

3 Tbsp. red wine vinegar

sea salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste

8 cups of day old/several days-old ciabbata or sourdourgh bread, cut into 1" cubes

Sprigs of fresh basil for garnish.

In a large bowl, combine the tomatoes, red onions, basil, olive oil, vinegar, salt and pepper until well mixed.

Just before serving, toss in the bread cubes.

If you prefer, you can allow the salad to set for 10 minutes before serving so that the bread soaks up the vinaigrette more.

Kick it up a notch by doing any of the following:

Add some chopped up cucumbers.
Add cubes of fresh mozzarella.

Or add chopped prosciutto.

OR, add a combination or all of the above!

Our golden retriever, "Buckeye", just LOVES tomatoes and bread.  

With the basil and vinaigrette, he was smacking his lips in appreciation!

Italian Panzanella

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