I really love Panzanella…especially in the summer time when I'm looking for recipes to use up myDSC_0010 garden tomatoes.  And I also enjoy recipes that are flexible with ingredients and allow you to use up things taking up space in the fridge…of course it has to taste good too!  Here's tonight's recipe which I'm serving with salmon.  You want everything in the salad to be in bite sized pieces.

  • Roughly 4 cups of torn bread.  I'm using an olive loaf that I'm slicing about 1/2 inch thick and then tearing.  (I don't think this rustic salad should look "chopped").
  • 1 T. capers
  • 1/4 cup chopped Italian parsley
  • 1/2-1 cup of torn basil (because it's so good).
  • 4-5 green onions
  • 1/2 chopped fresh red pepper (because it was in the fridge)
  • 2 heirloom tomatoes chopped in rough pieces plus cherry and grape tomatoes from our garden cut in half.
  • a couple slices of nice salami, sliced into small strips (because it was in the fridge).
  • 1/2 cup or more olive oil (nice olive oil)
  • 1/4 cup or less of vinegar.  I like balsalmic and red or white wine vinegar works nice too.
  • Minced garlic to taste.
  • Pepper and salt to taste.

 
Also really good…but I didn't have handy:

  • mini mozzarella balls or other cheese, such as diced provolone or crumbled feta
  • kalmata olives
  • roasted veggies

Mix everything together and let it sit in your fridge for about an hour.  Enjoy!