Tuna and Egg Panzanella

Panzanella is a bread salad popular in the summer months. This Italian dish originated in the regions of Tuscany, Umbria, Marche and Lazio. It is quick to make, requires no cooking (unless adding boiled eggs), and is the perfect thing to enjoy on a hot summer day, especially at a picnic. The beauty of panzanella is that is can be made well ahead of time to allow the flavors to develop and the bread to absorb that combination of tomato, olive oil and vinegar.

Serves 2
recipe from TasteItalia

300g two day old Tuscan white bread or ciabatta, torn apart (bite size pieces)
6 basil leaves, torn
3 ripe plum tomatoes, sliced
1 small red onion, thinly sliced
2 spring onions, trimmed, finely sliced
1/2 a cucumber, sliced
70g tuna preserved in olive oil, crumbled
3 tablespoon flat leaf parsley, roughly chopped
2 hard boiled eggs, shelled, quartered
1 teaspoon white wine vinegar
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 teaspoons pesto
salt and freshly ground black pepper

Place bread in a salad bowl. Mix the rest of the ingredients, except for the eggs and pesto, into the bowl and leave to stand for 10 minutes. Scatter the eggs over the top and drizzle with the pesto.

The Culinary Chase’s Note: If the bread is dry, dip into cold water, then pat dry with a towel (don’t crush it to a pulp). You can always add some olive oil to the pesto for a more pourable consistency but I like mine to be more on the chunky side. Add shaved Parmesan for added flavor and enjoy the salad with a glass of New Zealand’s sauvignon blanc. Beautiful!