Panzanella: Tuscan Bread & Tomato Salad - Chef Recipe by Nicola Coccia

Ingredients

"Panzanella is a salad made from stale bread and leftover summer vegetables. At home we would never waste anything. You can always make something delicious." ~ Nicola Coccia.

350 g mixed cherry tomatoes, halved
1 Lebanese cucumber, diced
100 g fresh borlotti beans
1/2 red onion, sliced
1 baby fennel, sliced
1 handful fennel fronds
50 ml apple cider vinegar
1 handful basil leaves
100 ml extra virgin olive oil
2 slices Officina sourdough
Sea salt

Method

Char the sourdough on a hot grill and place into a bowl. Mix the apple cider vinegar with 100ml of water, pour over the bread, and allow to soak for 2 minutes. Remove the bread, reserving the remaining liquid, cut into chunks and set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the tomatoes, cucumber, borlotti beans, fennel, and onion, then season with a generous pinch of salt. Toss with the olive oil, then add the bread.

Arrange the panzanella onto a serving plate, garnish with the fennel fronds and basil leaves, then drizzle with the reserved bread soaking liquid.

Credits: Recipe as featured in Farm to Flame: Cooking without rules in the Bistro Officina kitchen (2018), the first cookbook from the twice-hatted Bowral restaurant. Click here to purchase.