Bread salad is an Italian tradition - it not only tastes delightful but is a practical way to use leftover bread and vegetables.
Opinions differ about the origins of this bread salad. While some believe it was invented by fishermen out of necessity because galleys offered only limited options for hearty meals, others believe it was an economical way to use up stale bread.
However, panzanella salad is one of the great classics of Italian cuisine. The combination of not-quite-crusty bread slowly softening in delicious olive oil, tomatoes, cucumbers, onions and salt tastes unique.
By the way: any kind of bread and vegetables can be used for panzanella. In summer, the salad tastes best with many colourful tomato varieties.
| Ingredients (2 servings) | ||
|---|---|---|
| 250 | g | stale bread |
| olive oil | ||
| 2 | handful | garlic, unpeeled |
| 4 | vine tomatoes | |
| 2 | small cucumbers | |
| salt | ||
| 1/4 | cups | red wine vinegar |
| 1 small | glass | water |
| brown sugar | ||
| black pepper, freshly ground | ||
| basil leaves | ||
| 1 | red onion, peeled | |
