Panzanella is a refreshing Tuscan summer bread salad. Panzanella is quick to make, requires no cooking, and is the perfect thing to enjoy on a hot summer day, especially at a picnic or cookout.
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Ingredients:
- 1 pound (500 g) several-days-old Tuscan white bread, sliced
- 6 leaves basil
- 3 ripe tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and sliced
- 1 small sweet red onion, sliced (optional)
- 1 cucumber, sliced (optional)
- 1/4 pound (100 g) canned tuna fish, crumbled (optional)
- Minced parsley (optional)
- 1 or 2 hard boiled eggs, cut into eighths (optional)
- 1 teaspoon vinegar or more, to taste
- 3 or more tablespoons good olive oil
- Salt and pepper to taste
Preparation:
Though the basic ingredient in panzanella is bread, there’s a great deal of room for improvisation. I have one friend who insists the bread should be seasoned with just olive oil, vinegar, and basil, and another who throws in a host of ingredients including tuna fish and raw onions. So if there’s something you don’t like in the ingredient list, feel free to change it or leave it out.Dip the bread in cold water, then carefully pat it dry with a towel (don't crush it to a pulp). Put the bread in a salad bowl and mix in the remaining ingredients. Let the panzanella stand for ten minutes to give the bread time to absorb some flavor, and serve.
The wine? Something light, perhaps a Rosato di Bolgheri (or del Salentino).
