Peloponnese Panzanella Salad

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Peloponnese Panzanella Salad
Prep Time
20 mins
Cook Time
40 mins
Total Time
1 hr
 
Greece and Italia are close neighbors and have borrowed each others foods and recipes for centuries. This Peloponnese salad is a wonderful marriage of the two countries.
Course: Salad
Cuisine: Greek
Author: Barbara
Ingredients
Sun Dried Tomato dressing
  • 3 Tbsp sundried tomatoes packed in oil
  • 2 cloves garlic, chopped
  • 1 roma or other small tomato
  • 2 tbsp grated Parmesan or Romano cheese
  • 2 tbsp white wine vinegar
  • 1 cup extra virgin olive oil
  • salt and pepper
Shrimp
  • ½ lb medium raw shrimp with tails on
  • fresh rosemary, oregano, garlic cut in half, pepper corns, and bay leaf
Panzanella Salad
  • 3 med zucchini, cubed
  • extra virgin olive oil
  • salt and pepper
  • 2-3 flavorful tomatoes, sliced
  • ½ loaf Ciabatta, cut into cubes
  • cooked shrimp
  • Prosciutto di Parma or a local Prosciutto 2 slices per person
  • Pepper Salami 2-3 slices per person
  • Feta 1 slice per person
  • Fresh Mint
  • Olives
Instructions
  1. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.
Dressing
  1. In a large food processor add all of the dressing ingredients excepting the olive oil. Blend well.
  2. While the processor is running, slowly pour the olive oil thru the processor tube. Run the processor until the dressing is smooth. Taste and adjust seasoning.
Cooked Shrimp

  1. Defrost the raw shrimp in room temperature water. Then in a small pot, put the herbs and garlic, a bay leaf and some peppercorns and bring to a boil. Add the shrimp.

  2.  Cook until just done.
Panzanella Salad
  1. Toss the zucchini cubes in some olive oil, spread on an oiled or parchment covered baking sheet. Season lightly with salt and pepper.
  2. Bake at 450 degrees F for about 20 minutes. Remove from heat.
  3. Toss the bread cubes with a generous amount of olive oil and spread on the same baking sheet. Season lightly. Bake at 350 degrees f for 20 minutes (more if you used fresh bread, less if you used old bread) until its nicely browned and crispy.
  4. Meanwhile, compose the salad. Place the sun-dried tomato dressing in a bowl on a platter. Then begin to arrange the rest of the ingredients on the platter.
  5. When the bread is ready, add it to the board.
Recipe Notes

Note: Feel free to add other roasted veggies such as asparagus, artichoke hearts or roasted carrots.

You can purchase local prosciutto  and salami from El Salchichero in Santa Cruz at 402 Ingals St.  Just going there is fun and while there you can taste great beer at Santa Cruz Mountain Brewing and Humble Sea Brewing.

A good wine pairing would be the Grenache Blanc from Santa Cruz Mountain Vineyard winery also found at Ingalls Street.