Tuscan Panzanella is a typical dish from my region of Tuscany, with each area having its own variations. Today I present my version. It’s a cold salad made with stale bread enriched with a unique mix of vegetables. A leftover dish, created because nothing is wasted in the kitchen, it originates from the peasant tradition where there was a need to use up bread, resulting in an easy, fresh, very tasty, and economical dish.

Cost: Very economical
Preparation time: 15 Minutes
Cooking methods: No cooking
Cuisine: Italian
Seasonality: Spring, Summer, and Fall

Ingredients for Tuscan Panzanella x 2

7 oz Tuscan homemade bread (stale)
3 tomatoes
1 cucumber
1 onion
as needed basil
10 cups water
4 tbsp vinegar
as needed extra virgin olive oil
as needed salt and pepper

Tools

1 Bowl
1 Small Bowl
1 Knife

Preparation of Tuscan Panzanella

Let’s see how to prepare the panzanella

First, slice the stale bread and then cut it into pieces of about 0.8 inches, place it in a bowl, pour in the water and vinegar, mix well and let it rest until soaked. Meanwhile, clean and wash the vegetables, slice the onions into thin rings and place them in a small plate with a little water and vinegar to make them more digestible, cut the tomatoes into pieces, peel the cucumbers and slice them; I removed the skin, but you can leave it if you like.

Retrieve the bread and squeeze out the excess liquid, place it in a large bowl, add the tomatoes, cucumbers, and drained onion, add basil as much as you like, salt and pepper, pour a bit of oil, and mix well. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour before consuming. Serve garnished with more basil.
Here is your Panzanella ready to enjoy, and bon appétit!