salad - bread, Tuscan style
t=teaspoon T=tablespoon
These recipes are for your personal use only and may not be added in any form to archives other works.
Panzanella - Tuscan Bread Salad
Have left over bread? Try this simple farmer's speciality from the Toscana for a tasty appetizer. The delicious flavour is best, of course if you
use a Tuscan country bread or similar bread. Though quickly made, it must rest in the refrigerator for a few hours (up to 3).
600-700 g. stale white bread
2 medium or 3 small red onions
500 g. small, firm tomatoes
1 cucumber
1 bunch of basil
+ - 5 T. olive oil
red wine vinegar
salt, fresh ground pepper
Rinse the basil and shake or spin dry. Set aside.
Cut the bread in finger thick slices, moisten well with water and allow to absorb.
Slice the onion in thin rings and the tomatoes into eighths (besure to remove the seeds and the stem core). Peel the cucumber and dice.
Remove the basil leaves from the stem and chop coarsely.
'Pluck' the bread apart into managable pieces into a bowl. Add the basil, the onion and the cucumber, then the olive oil. Adjust flavour according to
taste with the salt, pepper and the red wine vinegar. Using two soup spoons,
gently mix the salad together.
Allow to rest in a cool place or refrigerator for 2-3 hours. Gently mix again and adjust seasonings.
Note: If you like, chop in a celery heart and a few tablespoons of chopped parsley in place of the basil.
All recipes are excerpts from "Welcome to My Kitchen" - The Epicurean Table and are copyright of the author. Recipes are not to be
added to any form of archive or other works of any kind. Contact the author for further information.
The Epicurean Table © 1999-2002 Patricia Conant