On a hill top in Tuscany — patio table — good friends and family — sunset — and panzanella made by experts — It doesn’t get much better!
Ingredients:
- 1 large crusty loaf of stale artisan bread
- 3 – 6 wonderful dead ripe tomatoes. They have to smell like summer.
- a couple handfuls of fresh basil
- 3 – 4 glugs of fruity olive oil (maybe 1/2 c ?)
- 1 very thinly sliced red onion
- splash of wine/balsamic vinegar
- Coarse salt and pepper
Directions:
- Slice bread – tear in bite size pieces. (If it is not stale, place in 275° oven for about 20 minutes – until slightly crisp.)
- Pace in large shallow bowl.
- Chop the tomatoes, saving the juice.
- Place chopped tomatoes and any accumulated juices into the bowl on top of the tomatoes.
- Salt the tomatoes, drizzle olive oil over everything.
- Scatter basil, garlic and parsley over everything and just let the bowl hang out on the counter for 2 – 4 hours. This is the tough part. You must summon the patience required to wait, and wait. Tough, I know, but the salad needs to sit a bit for the tomatoes to give of a little juice and the bread to soak up all the delicious goodness.
- Just before serving, add thin sliced red onions and a splash of balsamic or wine vinegar.
- Toss well.
- Salt and pepper to taste and add a touch more olive oil.
The best part about this recipe is it need no refrigeration, in fact, refrigeration destroys the flavors, so make sure to keep and serve it at room temperature.
Because there are as many recipes for this salad as there are Italian grandmothers, you can vary it at will. Some add cucumber, some add Parmesan shavings, some add mozzarella. It is your call. Mangimo!
Serves: 8
Source: A mash-up of Cooking Mama blog and The Pioneer Woman
