Panzanella or Panmolle recipes

Panzanella or panmolle is an Italian dish originating in the regions of Tuscany, Umbria, Marche and Lazio. The dish is a bread salad popular in the summer months. It includes sliced bread and fresh tomatoes, flavored with basil, olive oil, and vinegar, often with salt and pepper. The bread used should be day- to week-old saltless Tuscan bread made in a wood oven.

Sometimes thought of as a “leftover salad,” additional panzanella ingredients vary widely, and include lettuce, white wine, capers, anchovies, celery, carrots, red wine, red onion, cucumber, tuna, parsley, boiled eggs, mint, bell peppers, lemon juice, and garlic.

• Cook Time:15 min
• Level:Easy
• Yield: 4 to 6 servings

Ingredients

• 4 cups French bread cut into 1-inch cubes and dried overnight
• 6 slices bacon, cooked, chopped, drippings reserved
• 2 cups halved grape tomatoes
• 2 tablespoons oil, for searing
• 2 cups halved yellow pear tomatoes or roughly chopped heirloom tomatoes
• 2 cups chopped romaine lettuce

Vinaigrette:

• 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 tablespoon chiffonade mint
• 1 tablespoon chiffonade basil

Directions

Toss bread cubes in the bacon drippings. Sear the halved grape tomatoes in 2 tablespoons of oil, cut side down, until caramelized about 5 minutes, set aside.

Combine red wine vinegar, salt and pepper in a bowl, slowly whisk in olive oil in a thin stream until emulsified.

Combine all tomatoes, bread, bacon, and lettuce and dress with vinaigrette, toss well, garnish with mint and basil and serve.