Classic Panzanella Recipe: A Tuscan Salad Made with Stale Bread and Fresh Vegetables
Panzanella is a cold salad originating from Tuscan cuisine and central Italian regions including Umbria, Lazio, and Marche. The dish is composed of stale bread soaked in water and vinegar, along with an assortment of mixed vegetables: tomatoes, cucumbers, red onions, and basil.
Ingredients
- 400 g stale Tuscan bread 14 oz
- Water
- 1 red onion
- White wine vinegar
- 1 cucumber
- 500 g firm ripe tomatoes 1 lb 1¾ oz
- 15 fresh basil leaves
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Cut stale bread into 1 cm thick slices and place flat in a large baking dish. Wet the bread with 250 g of water (ca 1 cup), lightly press with hands to soak for 40–45 minutes.
- Peel and thinly slice an onion, place in a bowl with 70 g of water (ca 1/3 cup) and 70 g of wine vinegar (ca 1/3 cup) for maceration 15–20 minutes, stirring often. Drain afterward.
- Trim, peel and thinly slice a cucumber.
- Cut tomatoes into small cubes.
- Crumble soaked bread into a large bowl and squeeze slightly to remove excess liquid if very wet. Add previously drained onions, then tomato cubes, cucumber slices and chopped basil leaves.
- Refrigerate the resulting Panzanella for 1 hour.
- Season with 4 tablespoons olive oil, 15 g vinegar (1 tablespoon), a pinch of pepper and a pinch of salt.
- Serve the Panzanella and enjoy.