PANZANELLA

By jarren

Ingredients

• For the croutons:
• 1/2 lb ciabatta or sourdough bread, roughly torn
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• Salt
• Freshly ground pepper
• For the salad:
• 1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced
• 3 tbsp red wine vinegar
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• Salt
• Freshly ground pepper
• Pinch of sugar
• 1/4 to 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/2 up fresh basil leaves
• 2 lbs tomatoes

Details

Servings 4

Preparation

Step 1

Preheat oven to 400F. In a small bowl, pour the red wine vinegar over the onion slices and let sit, stirring occasionally, while you prepare the rest of the recipe.

Toss the roughly torn pieces of bread with the olive oil, salt and pepper, then spread over a baking sheet, ensuring the bread is not overlapping much. Bake the bread pieces until toasted and golden in places, about 10 to 12 minutes, turning them halfway. Remove from the oven and set aside.

Core and dice large tomatoes - smaller ones can be halved or quartered - and add to a large bowl. Strain the onion slices, reserving the vinegar for the dressing and add them to the tomatoes. In a jar or small bowl, combine the vinegar, garlic, salt, pepper and sugar. Shake or whisk until the salt and sugar have dissolved.

Add 1/4 cup of the olive oil and shake or whisk again until the vinaigrette is emulsified. Taste for seasonings, adding more oil if the dressing tastes too acidic.

Pour most of the dressing over the salad and toss until well mixed. Add the croutons and toss again, making sure they get saturated with the vinaigrette. Add more dressing as necessary. The bread pieces will soak up a lot of dressing.

Let sit for about 5 minutes and then toss again.

Tear the basil leaves roughly, add to the salad and mix until combined.

Serve immediately.