Red, ripe tomatoes and sturdy day-old bread form the basis of panzanella, the traditional Italian salad that springs from Tuscany. It’s a fitting use of our local tomato bounty, and it’s a cooperative side dish for a range of menus. Tangy with oil and vinegar and packed with seasonal veggies, panzanella pairs aptly with fresh seafood, grilled chicken or pork, gourmet burgers and other vegetarian dishes. You’ll love the way the chopped herbs and scallions sneak their way into the bread’s crevasses.
This gutsy salad has a few basic rules, but enjoys free-form creativity.
Read on for the recipe and ideas, which originally appeared in a July 2017 edition of 225 Dine.