Panzanella

Panzanella is a traditional Tuscan bread salad that originated as a humble “cucina povera” dish, created to make good use of stale bread. Today, it is a classic of Italian summer cuisine: juicy tomatoes, bread softened to a pleasantly chewy texture, fresh basil, and good olive oil come together in a simple yet highly aromatic salad.

Ingredients (serves 2–4)

• 300–400 g stale bread (e.g. ciabatta or country-style bread)
• 4–5 ripe tomatoes
• 1 small red onion
• 1 cucumber
• 1 bunch of basil
• 3–4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil (e.g. from il circolo)
• 2–3 tbsp white wine vinegar
• Salt & pepper

Preparation

1. Tear or cut the bread into coarse pieces and briefly soak it in water. Then squeeze it out well — it should be soft but not mushy.
2. Cut the tomatoes into chunks, dice or slice the cucumber, and finely slice the onion.
3. Combine the bread, vegetables, and roughly torn basil leaves in a large bowl.
4. For the dressing, whisk together olive oil, white wine vinegar, salt, and pepper, then pour over the salad.
5. Let it rest for at least 20–30 minutes so the flavours can blend. Adjust seasoning before serving.

Tip

The longer the salad rests (up to a few hours), the better the flavours develop. In summer, it often tastes even more intense the next day.