Italian Bread Salad
The first time I had Panzanella was at Connie Gamiere’s home. Amazing, using old bread and making the most wonderful, delectable salad. The next time I had it was when we attended the opening of Windy Oaks Winery wine tasting room in Carmel Valley Village. It was served in small butter lettuce leaves which cupped the panzanella perfectly. Yum.
Connie learned how to make Panzanella in Prato, Italia, just outside of Florence at her sister Angela’s home. Both sisters are wonderful Italiano cooks. This recipe is similar to Connie’s.
- 4 Slices crusty old bread Ciabatta or sourdough
- 2-4 ripe tomatoes depending on the size
- 1 garlic clove
- 1 handful fresh basil
- 1 cucumber peeled and seeded
- ½ red onion
- Olive Oil
- 1-1/2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 1-1/2 tbsp red wine vinegar
- ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
- Salt and Pepper
- 10 small butter leaf lettuce leaves or other interior leaves.
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Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Cube the bread into no larger than 1” pieces. Toss the cubes with about 2 tablespoons of olive oil. -
Place the bread on a large cookie sheet with parchment paper. Bake the cubes until toasted for about 12 minutes. -
Meanwhile, chop the tomatoes into small bite size pieces. Cut the cucumber into 4 lengths and chop into similar sizes. Mince the garlic and the red onion. -
Chiffonade the basil, look at the video below.Mix together all of the vegetables.Mix together all of the vegetables.Mix the dressing.
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Remove the bread from the oven and add it to the bowl of salad ingredients. -
Add the dressing, folding gently.Refrigerate for at least1 hour.
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Prepare the lettuce leaves. Fill each with a small serving of salad. Devour.
Notes When serving Panzanella as a salad rather than as an appetizer, you can serve it without lettuce, or you can chop a crispy green leave lettuce and serve the Panzanella on top. If you wish, you can add protein to the dish by adding some soft, fresh mozzarella.
