Panzanella Toscana

5 from 34 votes

Panzanella Toscana is a delicious, filling and rather unique salad. It combines the distinct flavours of tomatoes, cucumbers, onions and basil with cubes of golden, toasted bread. Dress it in a zesty vinaigrette and you have something truly special.

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Prep Time:20

Total Time:20

Course: Main Course, Side Dish

Cuisine: Italian

Keyword: Panzanella, bread, tomatoes

Servings: servings

Calories: 155kcal

Ingredients

For the bread cubes

130 grams ciabatta or baguette sliced or torn into large cubes
1 teaspoon crushed garlic
2 tablespoons olive oil

For the salad

300 grams tomatoes cherry, roma, heirloom etc
½ teaspoon salt
60 grams roasted pepper usually found in jars, preserved in oil
60 grams cucumber sliced
50 grams shallots sliced thinly
3 tablespoons chopped basil about 7g

For the dressing

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon crushed garlic
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
½ teaspoon sugar

Optional (but recommended) toppings

1 ball of mozzarella torn into chunks
few shavings of parmesan
rocket leaves
chopped nuts

Instructions

To toast the bread

Pre-heat the oven to 200C/392F/gas mark 6. Prepare a baking sheet by lining it with foil.
Place the cubes of bread in a bowl.
Combine the olive oil with the garlic and drizzle across the bread. Toss the bread in the oil until covered.
Spread the bread across the baking tray and bake in the oven for 15 minutes, turning the cubes halfway through.
Keep an eye on it, you don't want it too dark, just a light golden colour with a crispy texture.

For the salad

Slice the tomatoes. For small tomatoes like cherry and roma tomatoes, just slice them in half.
Place the tomatoes in a colander and sprinkle over the salt. Mix well and leave to sit for about 30 minutes.
A small amount of juice will drain from the tomatoes, making their flavour more intense.
Slice the roasted pepper, cucumber and shallots to your preferred size.
Chop the basil.
Combine the tomatoes, peppers, cucumber, shallots, basil and bread in a large salad bowl.

To make the dressing

Mix together the extra virgin olive oil, garlic, red wine vinegar and sugar. Pour over the salad and toss through.

Finish the salad off

Add torn pieces of mozzarella and shavings of parmesan. Sprinkle over some rocket, black pepper or sprinkle over chopped nuts.

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