Panzanella (Bread Salad)
Panzanella is a rustic bread salad from Italy. Delicious when paired with grilled food. Personally I would recommend serving this 15-45 minutes after tossing, as the bread gets softer and softer with time.
Panzanella is a rustic bread salad from Italy. Delicious when paired with grilled food. Personally I would recommend serving this 15-45 minutes after tossing, as the bread gets softer and softer with time.
- Carbohydrate 98.7945687840202 g
- Cholesterol 0 mg
- Fat 48.7061271500159 g
- Fiber 7.95100750457585 g
- Protein 16.7325726632335 g
- Saturated Fat 7.3193845994763 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (493g)
- Sodium 1075.34527606066 mg
- Sugar 90.8435612794443 g
- Trans Fat 2.1315993033268 g
- Calories 895 calories
Step-by-step
- In a large mixing bowl add basic raw tomato sauce, cucumber, fennel and cubed bread. Toss to mix.
- Pour olive oil and vinegar over the mixture and toss again. Add capers, red onion and bell pepper, toss once again.
- The entire process takes no more than 5 minutes. The panzanella may be served immediately or an hour later. As time passes the salad becomes softer in texture.
How much bread is actually required when doubling this salad for a larger gathering? Scaling panzanella requires careful observation of absorption rates rather than strict mathematical doubling. Stale, crusty peasant loaves like ciabatta or sourdough act like sponges, meaning dense crumb structures absorb liquids much faster than open, airy ones. Cut the bread into uniform one-inch cubes to ensure even saturation. When multiplying the portion size, hold back twenty percent of the extra virgin olive oil and balsamic vinegar until the final mixing stage. Excess liquid pools at the bottom of the bowl before the starches have time to swell. Selecting day-old bread is non-negotiable because fresh loaves turn gummy immediately upon contact with moisture. Salting the sliced cucumbers and red onions in a separate colander for twenty minutes draws out excess water that would otherwise dilute the dressing. Let the assembled salad rest between fifteen and forty-five minutes at room temperature before serving. This specific rest window allows the vinegar and olive oil to penetrate the bread while maintaining structural integrity. Avoid storing dressed panzanella past the two-hour mark, or the starches break down completely into a dense paste.
