Bread Salad

This is a family favorite which takes little time to prepare and a great way to use leftover bread! The Italians call it Panzanella which originates from Tuscany. Over the years there have been many adaptations and some purists would say adding olives is a no no. In any case, the flavors from the ingredients make this salad one to please your family and friends. Click here for a video demonstration. Using fresh ingredients is key to making this salad a success and the tomatoes must be vine ripe.

1 day old loaf of Italian bread
1/2 of red onion, thinly sliced
6-8 Kalamata olives, pitted and quartered
1 garlic clove, minced
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 bunch of flat leaf parsley
1 bunch of fresh basil, torn up
1 small cucumber, chopped
Parmesan cheese, thinly sliced
salt and pepper to taste

Take the loaf of bread and tear into bite size pieces then add to a large bowl. Add onion, olives, garlic, cucumber, parsley and basil to bread. Toss to combine. Drizzle the olive oil over the bread mixture followed by the balsamic vinegar. Season with salt and pepper and add Parmesan shavings.

The Culinary Chase’s Note: Use a potato peeler on the Parmesan cheese to achieve thin slices. You can also use red wine vinegar in lieu of balsamic vinegar. If you are using stale bread, let the salad sit a bit before serving so that the olive oil can soften the bread. You may also need to add more olive oil and balsamic vinegar so adjust according to taste.