The thing with panzanella is that there are a million different recipes out there. I got my basic ingredients from a lovely Italian lady who has been making it for decades. She told me simple is best...
And then I added more stuff. But I like it so that's what counts :D
Hey Kristen, I finally posted it!!!!!!
PANZANELLA
- FYI I have made this with gluten free bread and it works just as well. I used a rice bread and it was dense and yummy and chewy and delish!
SALAD
Ingredients
- 1 loaf fresh Ciabatta or Italian bread, cubed
- Olive oil
- Pinch or two of kosher salt
- Fresh cracked pepper to taste
- 2 tablespoons capers, drained
- 3 sweet bell peppers (I like to use red, orange and yellow to add colour to my salad
- 1 English cucumber, peeled, seeded and sliced
- 1 box cherry tomatoes halved or 2 beefsteak tomatoes, deseeded and cut into chunks
- 1/2 red onion sliced
- 6-10 Fresh basil leaves
- Pepperoncino rings (to taste)
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
- Cut bread into 1 inch cubes and toss with olive oil to moisten. Spread the bread on a cookie sheet and season with kosher salt and cracked black pepper to taste. Lightly toast in the oven. Remove and set aside.
- Chop peppers into a rustic chunk; cut onions in thin half moons; half cherry tomatoes or dice whole tomato;
- To deseed an English cucumber first peel then slice in half. Take a small desert spoon and simply scrape out the seeds and then dice;
- Place all chopped vegetables into a large bowl (the largest you have – this is a BIG salad);
- Now add the toasted bread, pepperocino pepper rings and the capers, and toss gently ;
- Rip the washed basil and incorporate;
- Pour dressing (recipe below) over salad and toss lightly. Taste and correct seasonings;
- Serve and enjoy!
DRESSING
Ingredients
- 5 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
- 1 to 4 cloves garlic, chopped (the smaller the clove the more you can add just go by how much or little garlic you like)
- 4 to 5 flat anchovy fillets or a healthy squidge of anchovy paste
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
Directions:
- Mash the garlic and anchovies to a pulp (if using whole anchovy fillets). First dice all the ingredients to a fine dice and then sprinkle just a pinch of kosher salt onto the mixture and, using the flat of a wide blade like a santoku or a cleaver, scrape the chopped ingredients together until they become a paste;
- In a mason jar with an air tight lid pour the oil, vinegar and add the salt and pepper;
- If you are using anchovy paste add a squidge into the mason jar;
- Add the garlic anchovy blend or just the mashed garlic if using anchovy paste;
- Put on lid and shake well until everything is incorporated. Or you can use a stick blender and puree.
Eat!
Enjoy!!! (preferably with a glass of some cold 'adult beverage' ::wink wink::
HAPPY FRIDAY!!!
