The Tuscan panzanella is a typical leftover recipe made with the stale bread from the previous day, transformed into a crunchy dish perfect for summer.
If you like summer recipes, don’t forget to read the recipe
- Difficulty: Very easy
- Cost: Very economical
- Rest time: 1 Hour
- Preparation time: 10 Minutes
- Portions: 2
- Cooking methods: No cooking
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: Spring, Summer
- Energy 408.26 (Kcal)
- Carbohydrates 62.16 (g) of which sugars 9.57 (g)
- Proteins 11.19 (g)
- Fat 13.30 (g) of which saturated 1.42 (g)of which unsaturated 2.46 (g)
- Fibers 6.39 (g)
- Sodium 1,146.42 (mg)
Indicative values for a portion of 200 g processed in an automated way starting from the nutritional information available on the CREA* and FoodData Central** databases. It is not food and / or nutritional advice.
* CREATES Food and Nutrition Research Center: https://www.crea.gov.it/alimenti-e-nutrizione https://www.alimentinutrizione.it ** U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov
Ingredients for 2 people
- 10.5 oz tomatoes (ripe)
- 1 red onion
- 1 sprig basil
- 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
- 1 cucumber
- 2 slices rustic bread
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- to taste salt
- to taste pepper
- 1 stalk celery
Tools
- 1 Bowl
- 1 Chopping board
- 1 Knife
- 1 Spoon
Method
The secret to a delicious Tuscan panzanella is to use ripe tomatoes, perhaps a mix to combine various tastes and textures, and let the panzanella rest in the fridge for a few hours, so it will be delightful!
First of all, I recommend slicing the tomatoes or halving them depending on the type you use. I use a mix of Datterino cherry tomatoes, yellow Cherry tomatoes, black Camone, and classic Perino.
Once chopped, place the tomatoes in a bowl with a pinch of salt so they will release their juices, which will flavor the panzanella.
While the tomatoes rest in a bowl, prepare the water and vinegar mix that we will use to soak the stale bread.
In a flat bowl, place 2 tablespoons of vinegar and 1/2 cup of water, mix, and immerse the bread to soften it. Do not soak it too much to keep the panzanella crunchy.
After cutting the bread, add it to the tomatoes and focus on slicing the red onion into thin strips that you will add to the bowl with the other ingredients.
If the basil leaves are large, tear them into pieces with your hands; do not use scissors or a knife, as they would damage them. Add them to the bowl and complete the recipe with cucumbers and celery, which you’ve previously sliced into rounds or cubes.
Now that the ingredients are combined, let them rest in the refrigerator to absorb the flavors. After a few hours, simply add a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil, a pinch of salt, and serve.
Your Tuscan panzanella is ready!
Serving Tips:
Serve this Tuscan panzanella simply and neatly; it doesn’t require special garnishes. If you want to embellish the presentation, add some fresh basil leaves, a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil, and a grind of fresh pepper
Wine Pairing for Tuscan Panzanella:
I recommend pairing this dish with a chilled white wine, perfect for the summer heat, such as a Gavi or a Ligurian Vermentino.
