Colorful, bright, and delicious, Italian Panzanella salad is a celebration of Summer’s bounty of fresh vegetables. Typical of wonderful traditional Italian country cooking (cucina contadina), Panzanella originated in Tuscany where peasant farmers would soak stale bread and mix it with fresh vegetables and herbs to make a substantial yet refreshing and nutritious dish out of ingredients on hand. Colorful ripe tomatoes, creamy fresh mozzarella, fresh basil, parsley, thyme, and crunchy croutons all tied together with fruity extra-virgin olive oil and tangy red-wine vinegar. How can you miss?! Enjoy Panzanella as a light lunch, or as part of a larger meal. Mangia e gustare!

Serves 4-6
Ingredients:

• 4 ounces ciabatta or baguette, preferably stale, cut into 1-inch cubes (about 3 cups)

• 6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, more to taste

• ¾ teaspoon kosher sea salt, more to taste

• 1 pound ripe tomatoes, preferably multi-colored cherry tomatoes cut in half

• 6 ounces fresh mozzarella, torn or cut into bite-size pieces

• ½ cup thinly sliced red onion

• 1 large garlic or 2 small cloves, grated to a paste

• 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar, more to taste

• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano or thyme (or a combination)

• a large pinch of red pepper flakes (optional)

• ½ teaspoon Dijon mustard (optional to thicken the vinaigrette)

• ¼ teaspoon of black pepper, to taste

• ½ cup thinly sliced cucumber (seeded or seedless)

• ½ cup torn basil leaves

• ¼ cup flat-leaf parsley leaves, roughly chopped

• 1 tablespoon capers, drained

• 2 tablespoons pancetta diced (optional)

Preparation:
Preheat toaster oven to 350 F. on convection, or 375 F. regular bake.

1. Toss the bread cubes with 2 tablespoons of oil and spread them on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake until they are dried out and pale golden brown at the edges, about 7 to 15 minutes. Let cool on a wire rack.

2. Cut the tomatoes in half (or bite-sized pieces) and transfer to a large bowl. Add the mozzarella, onions, garlic paste, 1 tablespoon vinegar, oregano and/or thyme, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and the red pepper flakes if using. Toss to coat and set aside.

3. (Optional) In a cast-iron skillet, fry the diced pancetta, stirring until crisp. Add the drained capers and fry for another minute.

4. In a medium bowl, combine the remaining 1 tablespoon vinegar, the mustard, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and some black pepper to taste. Slowly drizzle in the remaining 4 tablespoons olive oil, whisking constantly, until the mixture is thickened. Stir in the sliced cucumbers, basil, and parsley.

5. Add the bread cubes and cucumber mixture to the tomatoes and toss well. Let sit for at least 30 minutes and up to 4 hours before serving.

6. Toss with a little more olive oil, vinegar, and salt if needed; garnish with the fried pancetta and capers just before serving.

Note: the croutons will get soggy if they sit in the salad overnight.

Wine pairing: this salad will pair well with a variety of crisp, fruit-forward white wines like Chablis, White Rhone wines, Sauvignon Blanc; Rosé; lighter red wines like Merlot, Dolcetto di Alba, Beaujolais, Pinot Noir, or lighter style Rioja.

Adapted from: https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1017518-panzanella-with-mozzarella-and-herbs