Growing up, I spent a lot of time in the kitchen with my grandpa as his “sous” chef. He taught me so much about cooking. He had a passion for it and he passed it on to me.
Panzanella is a dish that he often made in the summer. My grandparents never threw out leftover bread. They hated to waste. If worse came to worse, they would even feed it to the birds. This salad puts that day-old bread to good use. Quality is key in a simple salad like this. A good extra virgin olive oil is a must. And make sure your tomatoes are ripe
Ingredients
(Serves 4)
2 oz. Day Old Italian Bread, Torn in 3/4” pieces (about 2 Cups)
2 Celery Stalks, sliced thinly
1 (6 oz.) Cucumber, sliced thinly
2 (7 oz.) Carrots, sliced thinly
¼ Red Onion (about 4 Ounces), sliced thinly
1 (6 oz.) Large Heirloom Tomatoes, cut in ¾” Pieces
½ Cup Cherry Tomatoes, I used yellow. Cut in half
½ Cup Pitted Kalamata Olives
10 Basil Leaves, Chopped
1 Tsp. Salt
½ tsp. Pepper
4 tbsp. Red Wine Vinegar
½ Cup Olive Oil
Method
Soak the red onion in ice water for 15 minutes. Remove and pat dry.
In a bowl, add in the bread, celery, cucumber, carrots, red onion, tomatoes, olives, and basil.
Season with salt and pepper. Add in the red wine vinegar and olive oil.
Mix and taste for seasoning and serve.