Panzanella?

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SizzlininIN

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This is something I am planning on making when the fresh tomatoes appear in the garden. I've found different recipes to try. Anyone care to share their favorite way to prepare it.
 
Sizz,
I just do a simple one. When I have summer tomatoes from my garden I want to play up there sweet goodness. I usually use stale ciabatta torn in chunks,I peel and sometimes seed the tomatoes then dice in large cubes, add torn basil leaves, some roasted red peppers cut in pieces, some rinsed capes..I put the bread into a large bowl and then whisk up evoo, crushed garlic and red wine vinegar,salt and pepper add the bread,tomatoes and basil and let the stale bread pick up some of the oil mixture oh about 5 min. I then rinse capers and soak in a little vinegar, and take roasted red peppers and soak in a little evoo,salt and pepper I put half the bread mix in a 13x9 dish make a layer adding some kalamata or piccoline olives,peppers, then repeat with the rest of the bread, then peppers,olives and capers. I just cover and let it stand at room temp about an hour the uncover drizzle with evoo and put some basil leaves on top and we dig in. You can just toss everything in a salad bowl, I do do that, but usually just to make it lookk fancy..I always layer it to distribute the oil and vinegar equally through the salad.

kadesma:)
 
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With the same name of "panzanella" there are many recipes... Panzanella generally means some bread wit raw ingredients, oil, vegetables and others.....
One particular:
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Cut the old bread in 1 cm thick slices. Put them in a bit of red wine. Add generous parsley, little salt, black pepper and evoo a lot.
 
Here's the way I do mine most of the time:

day-old rustic bread, cut into 1-inch cubes (about 6 cups)
2 large tomatoes (about 1 pound), trimmed and each cut into 8 wedges
3/4 cup sliced unwaxed cucumber
1/2 cup sliced red onion
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons red-wine vinegar
10 fresh basil leaves, shredded

For the bread I usually use ciabatta.

Put all ingredients in a serving bowl except oil and vinegar - blend oil and vinegar and toss with everything else in bowl. You want to toss this soon enough for the bread to become a bit soggy from the oil and vinegar. I make mine about 30 minutes before I need it.

A true panzanella is made with unsalted Italian bread that is actually quite saturated and mushy - it's a different beast than I can make. The unsalted Italian bread is a big key. It was more the bread than anything, but it was wonderful.

This is a truly refreshing way to eat those summer tomatoes.

kadesma - your version looks wonderful!!!! I will have to try it this summer.
 
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Other than the choice of bread, this seems a lot like a cornbread salad a friend used to make. Hers was so good. I made it and mine wasn't nearly as good. I don't know if something was left out of her recipe but nobody in my house liked it.
 
kitchenelf said:
Here's the way I do mine most of the time:

day-old rustic bread, cut into 1-inch cubes (about 6 cups)
2 large tomatoes (about 1 pound), trimmed and each cut into 8 wedges
3/4 cup sliced unwaxed cucumber
1/2 cup sliced red onion
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons red-wine vinegar
10 fresh basil leaves, shredded

For the bread I usually use ciabatta.

Put all ingredients in a serving bowl except oil and vinegar - blend oil and vinegar and toss with everything else in bowl. You want to toss this soon enough for the bread to become a bit soggy from the oil and vinegar. I make mine about 30 minutes before I need it.

A true panzanella is made with unsalted Italian bread that is actually quite saturated and mushy - it's a different beast than I can make. The unsalted Italian bread is a big key. It was more the bread than anything, but it was wonderful.

This is a truly refreshing way to eat those summer tomatoes.

kadesma - your version looks wonderful!!!! I will have to try it this summer.
Thanks Elf, I hope you will like it.

kadesma:)
 
kitchenelf said:
Did you mean red wine vinegar? Just curious.
No:I intend exactly "red wine":) :) . I do know it's curious (it's an uncommon variant), but may be interesting to try and taste. I know six or seven different recipes for Panzanelle (and now I'm learning some more). All of them use generally tomatoes, vegetables and bread, more or less wet with water, or winegar.
Panzanella is a recipe from Rome: Urmaniac could be more precise....
.....
 
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