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Panzanella – toasted bread salad
Panzanella is a traditional Italian bread salad: deliciously fresh in summer. The recipe is ideal for leftover bread and creative cooking that conjures up delicious and nutritious dishes from simple ingredients. Panzanella is quick to make and super tasty!
- 1 Ciabatta
- 8 Vine tomatoes
- 1 Shallot
- 1 Cucumber
- 2 Mozzarella balls
- 100 g Rocket
- 8 EL Olive oil, extra virgin
- 2 EL Balsamico Bianco
- Salt
- Pepper
- 50 g Parmesan cheese, planed
- 1 Confederation Basil
Schritt für Schritt durch´s Rezept
- Step 1Peel and finely dice the shallot.
- Step 2Peel the cucumber too, then roughly dice. Also roughly dice the tomatoes and mozzarella.
- Step 3Cut the ciabatta into large cubes and fry in 4 tbsp olive oil in a large pan until golden brown. Then leave to cool.
- Step 4In a large bowl, mix the rocket with the diced tomatoes, cucumber and mozzarella.
- Step 5Mix 4 tbsp olive oil, balsamic vinegar bianco, salt and pepper to make a dressing and mix with the salad.
- Step 6Spread the toasted bread over the salad.
- Step 7Decorate the bowl with plucked basil and Parmesan shavings.
Bread salad from Tuscany
Panzanella has its roots in rural Tuscan cuisine. It was originally a dish of the poor, used to make use of stale bread and seasonal vegetables. The name “panzanella” probably comes from “pane” (bread) and “zanella”, an old Italian word for a deep bowl.
The original soft panzanella recipe
A classic panzanella in Italy consists of stale bread soaked in water and then squeezed and plucked into small pieces, fresh tomatoes, onions, basil and often cucumber. These ingredients are seasoned with olive oil, vinegar, salt and pepper.
Panzanella interpreted in a modern way
While the traditional panzanella is very simple, there are numerous variations of this salad today. In recent years, the bread salad has become very well known and even more popular.
Many chefs have put their signature on the salad. Tomatoes and cucumbers have been added, tuna, olives and capers can be found in recipes, as well as corn, sausages, mozzarella and beans. The best-known variation in German-speaking countries is certainly the one described here with toasted bread. It tastes super crispy and delicious!
How to serve Italian bread salad
Panzanella is particularly popular in summer, when the ingredients are at their freshest and tastiest. The salad is known for its refreshing and filling properties and is often served as a starter or light meal.
- As an antipasto: why not serve the bread salad pre-portioned in a Weck jar? It looks really pretty on a finger food buffet.
- As a side dish with seafood: Panazanella goes really well with fried seafood, for example scampi skewers.
- As a salad for barbecues: The Italian bread salad is an ideal accompaniment for a barbecue with bistecca or salsiccia.
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