Panzanella Salad

Panzanella Salad

serves 6

I love the simplicity of Italian food, its amazing how a few simple ingredients can be transformed into something so tasty. In Tuscany this salad is often referred to as a peasant salad as it is a way of using up stale bread. I made this salad on the weekend for friends and served it with baked salmon and a salsa Verde sauce. Try to use different varieties of tomatoes it really makes a difference not only to the taste but to look of the salad .

Ingredients

3 capsicums ( 1 red,1 yellow, 1 orange )
300gm mixed tomatoes
1 small Spanish onion thinly sliced
handful fresh basil leaves roughly torn
1 tbs capers
4 thick slices old day old sour dough bread
1/2 cup flat leaf parsley roughly torn
1 clove garlic crushed
Dressing
1/4 cup good olive oil
2 tbs red wine vinegar ( you can substitute for Balsamic )
1 clove garlic crushed

Method

Preheat a char-grill pan add the capsicum, turn occasionally until lightly charred.
Remove the seeds from the capsicum and cut into 1 inch chunks and place in serving bowl.
Cut the tomatoes to roughly the same size as the capsicums and add to the bowl.
Char-grill the bread about 2-3 minutes each side, then rub with the garlic clove rip the bread into bite size pieces.
Combine the dressing ingredients together, mix well
Add the onion, herbs, capers and bread to the bowl and pour over the dressing.
Let the salad sit for 5 minutes before serving so the tomatoes and bread absorb some of the dressing.


This salad is great with BBQ chicken or beef.