This recipe is typical from Tuscany, although you will find it in other regions like Lazio Umbria or Marche. The recipe can variate a lot, so what i use is the most basic version, which than you can modify by adding other vegetables and or boiled eggs.

The roots of this recipe are in poverty, transforming old bread and cheap vegetables in a gourmet dish. As the Italian proverb says hunger is the best cook.

 

Ingredients for two:    

Image RECIPE

Image RECIPE

 

 

 

 

 

Stale bread (about 4 slices), two tomatoes, one half onion, one cucumber, two teaspoons vinegar, five chopped basil leaves, one table spoon oil, salt and pepper.

For the basil leaves if you don’t have them fresh you can use dry basil.

 

RECIPE

 

Fill a bowl with cold water. Then with your hands soak the bread. This is the very important moment for a good panazanella! Don’t leave the bread for too long in the water.

When i feel it starts to soften after about thirty seconds, but this depends on the bread, i take it out. Too much water makes that than there will be liquid at the bottom of the salad bowl. Break the soaked bread in to peaces and mix with the chopped vegetables and all the other ingredients.

Make it rest for at least one hour, but i like it when it is prepared the day before.

Possible add-ons: garlic, balsamic vinegar and other vegetables.

More than for other recipes the use of good extra virgin oil is very important.

Tommaso

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