Panzanella.
Say hello to the Panzanella of dreams! If you’ve followed me a for a while it’s probably no secret now that I am a HUGE fan of tomato season so what better what to see it out than a salad that makes them the star of the show.
You will need (Serves 2-4):
1kg mixed tomatoes, cut into bite size pieces
2tsp salt
350g sourdough bread cut into 1 inch cubes
150ml extra virgin olive oil, plus some extra for drizzling
1 banana shallot, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, grated
1/2 tsp Dijon mustard
2 tbsp red wine vinegar
Black pepper to taste
Large handful of basil leaves
Method
Place chopped tomatoes in a colander, set over a large bowl and season with 2 teaspoons kosher salt. Toss to coat. Set aside at room temperature to drain, tossing occasionally, for about an hour.
Meanwhile, preheat oven to 180 degrees and adjust rack to center position. In a large bowl, toss bread cubes with 2 tablespoons olive oil. Transfer to a rimmed baking sheet. Bake about 15 minutes, until crisp and firm but not browned. Remove from oven and let cool.
Remove colander with tomatoes from bowl with tomato juice. Add your shallot, garlic, mustard, olive oil and vinegar to bowl with tomato juice. Season dressing to taste with salt and pepper.
Combine toasted bread, tomatoes, and dressing in a large bowl. Add basil leaves. Toss everything to coat and season with salt and pepper. Let rest 30 minutes before serving, tossing occasionally until the dressing is absorbed by the bread.