Panzanella—Bread and Vegetable Salad

Home cooks around the world are ingenious when it comes to using their leftovers.  Day old bread exists in every culture, and in Italy, they frequently use it in this famous salad.  Their original concept was to lightly soak a very sturdy, hearty (and hardened) bread in water and then combine the bread with tomatoes, olive oil and other odds and ends to make a salad where the bread sort of dissolves into a delicious grainy consistency.  The day old bread I tend to have lends itself more to toasting before adding to the salad and so it doesn’t dissolve but adds another crunchy aspect to the salad.  Cucumbers, onions, peppers and tomatoes are the typical vegetables used, but aside from tomatoes, which I think are essential, you can make this salad out of whatever you have on hand—it’s a great way to clean out the vegetable bin.  But I caution that it is also addictive—and if you’re like me, you’ll find yourself buying vegetables especially to make this dish.

Panzanella—Bread and Vegetable Salad

Ingredients for the Salad:

3 tablespoons olive oil
4 cups day-old French bread or other rustic bread, cut into cubes
2 cups fresh tomatoes, cut into cubes
1 English or hothouse cucumber, peeled, seeded and sliced
1 yellow bell pepper, seeded and cut into 1 inch cubes
Small red or sweet onion, halves and thinly sliced
6 mini mozzarella balls, cut in quarters
20 basil leaves, washed and torn or cut into strips

In a large skillet, heat the oil and add the bread cubes.  Sauté over low heat until the cubes are crisped and nicely browned.  Set aside.

In a small bowl, place the onion and cover with water.  Soak for a few minutes and then squeeze out the moisture. Repeat.

Ingredients for the Vinaigrette

1 clove garlic, minced
2 anchovy fillets, chopped (optional)
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1/3-cup olive oil
1 tablespoon capers, drained
½ teaspoon kosher salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

In a small bowl, place the garlic, anchovy fillets, mustard and red wine vinegar.  Whisk to combine.  Add the olive oil and whisk until the dressing emulsifies.  Stir in the capers, taste and add the salt and pepper (add these a little at a time to your taste).

To assemble the Panzanella:

In a large salad or serving bowl, mix the tomatoes, cucumber, yellow pepper, onion slices, mozzarella, and basil.  Add the bread cubes and stir gently to combine.  Add the vinaigrette half at a time (depending on your taste, you may not need all of it).  Correct the salt and pepper.  Let the salad sit for half an hour or so at room temperature to allow the flavors to blend before serving.