Panzanella
Tuscany · antipasto · serves 4 · 30 min total · easy
Pan + zanella = 'small bowl of bread'. The genius of Tuscan farmhouse cooks — yesterday's bread becomes today's lunch.
Ingredients
- 300 g stale Tuscan bread
- 500 g ripe tomatoes
- 1 cucumber cucumber
- 1 medium red onion
- 1 handful basil
- 3 tbsp red wine vinegar
- 80 ml olive oil
- 1 tsp salt and pepper
Method
- Tear bread into rough chunks. Soak in cold water 5 minutes, then squeeze dry like a sponge — should be moist but not sodden.
- Slice tomatoes thick, cucumber on the bias, onion paper-thin (soak the onion 10 minutes in cold water for milder bite).
- Combine in a wide bowl with bread.
- Dress with vinegar, olive oil, salt and pepper. Toss with torn basil.
- Rest 30 minutes before eating. The bread re-hydrates with tomato water — that's the whole point.