Panzanella

Bread pudding and bread salads were never really my thing--I mean, why in the world would you chop up bread to put into another dish when you could just enjoy it toasted with a little butter and blueberry jam?

Well, panzanella (bread salad) comes in really handy when a) you have stale bread on hand, and 2) it's 90+ degrees out. The only cooking it requires is your toaster oven, to toast the bread.



Basically it's a mish-mash of chopped veggies and toasted bread, tossed with a little good vinegar and olive oil. Made better with some chopped herbs like parsley and basil. Even better after sitting for at least half an hour (but no more than two days, it gets too mushy). The bread adds a little heartiness and contrast to the crisp veggies, so it feels like you're eating something more substantial.


With tomatoes at their absolute peak right now, it's a great way to take advantage of some incredible (yet expensive--$7 for three!) tomatoes, and fresh, more moderately-priced basil ($2--whew).


Very refreshing for a hot summer evening. Also really easy to pack for lunch.

I was inspired to make it because of this post. Also I saw it on an episode of Barefoot Contessa. When I can turn on my oven again, I definitely plan to do a roasted veggie version.