I like to garnish panzanella with a bit of balsamic vinegar glaze. It’s thick and delicious, a perfect pairing for the other flavors in this salad. I find the glaze in my grocery stores stocked near the specialty vinegars or in the Italian food section. If you are unable to find it, you can certainly use a splash of good balsamic vinegar or simply omit the garnish when serving.
Author: Jennifer from 1840 Farm
Ingredients
1large loaf of crusty bread(about 1 pound)
3-4tablespoonsextra virgin olive oil
salt and pepper
1poundheirloom tomatoes, cut into bite sized pieces
1teaspoonsea salt
3tablespoonsextra virgin olive oil
4clovesgarlic, peeled and sliced thinly
2tablespoonssundried tomatoes packed in oil, julienned
1tablespoonoil from the jar of sundried tomatoes
½cupbasil leaves, sliced into thin ribbons
1ounceParmesan cheese
salt and pepper to taste
balsamic vinegar or glaze
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Cut the bread into bite sized pieces (approximately 1” in size). Add the bread cubes to a large bowl. Drizzle 3 tablespoons of olive oil over the bread cubes. Season the bread cubes liberally with salt and pepper. Toss the cubes, adding another tablespoon of oil if needed. Spread the cubes out on a large baking sheet.
Transfer the baking sheet to the preheated oven. Bake for 10 – 15 minutes until crisp and lightly browned. Remove the baking sheet from the oven and allow the bread cubes to cool to room temperature.
Meanwhile, prepare the tomatoes by coring large tomatoes before dicing or simply slicing cherry or grape sized tomatoes in half or quarters. The tomato pieces should be bite sized, slightly smaller than the cubes of bread. Place the tomato pieces in a bowl and toss with the teaspoon of sea salt. Transfer the salted tomatoes to a small colander set over the bowl to catch the juices as they drain away from the tomatoes.
In a small pot over low heat, warm the 3 tablespoons olive oil, sliced garlic, sundried tomatoes, and tablespoon of oil from the sundried tomatoes until fragrant. Continue to cook over low heat for 2-4 minutes. Remove from the heat and allow to cool. The flavors of the garlic and sundried tomatoes will infuse the olive oil with their delicious flavors.
All of this prep work can be done hours ahead of time. The bread, tomatoes, and olive oil infusion can be allowed to rest at room temperature until you are ready to assemble the panzanella. I recommend assembling the panzanella about 30 minutes before you intend to serve it. This will allow the bread to retain its texture and give the flavors time to meld and be absorbed by the bread.
To assemble the panzanella, place the toasted bread in a large bowl. Add the reserved tomato juices, tossing gently. The bread should absorb the tomato juice and soften slightly. Add the diced tomatoes, olive oil infusion, basil, and Parmesan to the bowl. Toss gently to evenly distribute the ingredients. Taste for seasoning, adding salt and pepper if necessary.
Allow the panzanella to sit for up to 30 minutes before serving. Serve at room temperature, garnishing with a drizzle of balsamic vinegar or balsamic vinegar glaze if desired. Enjoy!