Panzanella
Tuscan bread salad combining stale ciabatta with ripe tomatoes, red onion, cucumber and fresh basil in a simple vinaigrette.
200ml
1piece
30ml
600g
1tsp
1piece
80ml
1pinch
20g| # | Product | Quantity | Notes | State | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 300g | — | — | ||
| 2 | | 200ml | — | — | |
| 3 | | 1piece | — | — | |
| 4 | | 30ml | — | — | |
| 5 | | 600g | — | — | |
| 6 | | 1tsp | — | — | |
| 7 | | 1piece | — | — | |
| 8 | | 80ml | — | — | |
| 9 | | 1pinch | — | — | |
| 10 | | 20g | — | — |
Tear the ciabatta into rough, irregular chunks about 3 cm across, using the bread knife to start any tears the hands cannot manage.
Drop the ciabatta chunks into the large bowl.
Pour the water evenly over the bread so every piece is dampened.
Water · 200 mlLeave the bread to absorb the water for 10 minutes until it is soft and swollen but not falling apart.
Peel the red onion, halving it through the root to make it easier to hold.
Red onion · 1 piece
Slice the peeled red onion as thinly as you can into half-moon strips.
Transfer the sliced onion into the small bowl.
Pour the red wine vinegar over the onion slices to take the raw edge off them.
Red wine vinegar · 30 mlLeave the onion to steep in the vinegar for at least 10 minutes while you prepare the rest.
Halve each tomato through its equator, then cut each half into rough wedges about 3 cm wide.
Ripe tomatoes · 600 gSweep the tomato wedges and all their juice into the medium bowl.
Scatter ½ tsp of the salt over the tomatoes and toss them gently so every piece is coated.
Fine salt · 0.5 tspLeave the tomatoes to macerate for 10 minutes until they have released their juices.
Run the peeler along the length of the cucumber to remove the skin.
Cucumber · 1 piece
Cut the cucumber in half lengthways, then use a teaspoon to scrape out the watery seeds.
Slice each cucumber half on a slight angle into pieces about 1 cm thick.
Add the cucumber slices to the bowl with the soaked bread.
Tip the salted tomato wedges and all their collected juice into the large bowl.
Pour the pickled onion and all the vinegar from the small bowl into the large bowl.
Drizzle the olive oil all over the contents of the bowl.
Extra-virgin olive oil · 80 mlAdd the remaining ½ tsp of salt to the bowl.
Fine salt · 0.5 tspSeason the salad with a pinch of ground black pepper.
Ground black pepper · 1 pinchGently turn everything together with tongs so the bread soaks up the tomato juices, vinegar and oil without breaking up completely.
Leave the salad to sit for at least 30 minutes so the bread becomes juicy and flavourful throughout.
| # | Product | Tool | Action |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 300 g | | Tear the ciabatta into rough, irregular chunks about 3 cm across, using the bread knife to start any tears the hands cannot manage.⏱ 30sResultRough ciabatta chunks |
| 2 | Rough ciabatta chunksstep 1 | | Drop the ciabatta chunks into the large bowl.⏱ 10sResultRough ciabatta chunks |
| 3 | 200 ml | | Pour the water evenly over the bread so every piece is dampened.⏱ 10sResultRough ciabatta chunks and water |
| 4 | — | | Leave the bread to absorb the water for 10 minutes until it is soft and swollen but not falling apart.⏱ 10 minResultSoaked bread |
| 5 | 1 piece | | Peel the red onion, halving it through the root to make it easier to hold.⏱ 20sResultPeeled red onion |
| 6 | Peeled red onionstep 5 | | Slice the peeled red onion as thinly as you can into half-moon strips.⏱ 30sResultFinely sliced onion |
| 7 | Finely sliced onionstep 6 | | Transfer the sliced onion into the small bowl.⏱ 5sResultFinely sliced onion |
| 8 | 30 ml | | Pour the red wine vinegar over the onion slices to take the raw edge off them.⏱ 5sResultFinely sliced onion and red wine vinegar |
| 9 | — | | Leave the onion to steep in the vinegar for at least 10 minutes while you prepare the rest.⏱ 10 minResultQuick-pickled red onionused in step 19 |
| 10 | 600 g | | Halve each tomato through its equator, then cut each half into rough wedges about 3 cm wide.⏱ 40sResultHalved tomatoes |
| 11 | Halved tomatoesstep 10 | | Sweep the tomato wedges and all their juice into the medium bowl.⏱ 5sResultHalved tomatoes |
| 12 | 0.5 tsp | | Scatter ½ tsp of the salt over the tomatoes and toss them gently so every piece is coated.⏱ 5sResultHalved tomatoes and fine salt |
| 13 | — | | Leave the tomatoes to macerate for 10 minutes until they have released their juices.⏱ 10 minResultSalted tomato halvesused in step 18 |
| 14 | 1 piece | | Run the peeler along the length of the cucumber to remove the skin.⏱ 20sResultPeeled cucumber |
| 15 | Peeled cucumberstep 14 | | Cut the cucumber in half lengthways, then use a teaspoon to scrape out the watery seeds.⏱ 15sResultHalved cucumber |
| 16 | Halved cucumberstep 15 | | Slice each cucumber half on a slight angle into pieces about 1 cm thick.⏱ 30sResultSliced cucumber |
| 17 | Sliced cucumberstep 16 | | Add the cucumber slices to the bowl with the soaked bread.⏱ 5sResultSoaked bread and sliced cucumber |
| 18 | Salted tomato halvesstep 13 | | Tip the salted tomato wedges and all their collected juice into the large bowl.⏱ 5sResultSoaked bread and sliced cucumber and salted tomato halves |
| 19 | Quick-pickled red onionstep 9 | | Pour the pickled onion and all the vinegar from the small bowl into the large bowl.⏱ 5sResultSoaked bread and salted tomato half mixture |
| 20 | 80 ml | | Drizzle the olive oil all over the contents of the bowl.⏱ 5sResultSoaked bread and salted tomato half mixture |
| 21 | 0.5 tsp | | Add the remaining ½ tsp of salt to the bowl.⏱ 5sResultSoaked bread and salted tomato half mixture |
| 22 | 1 pinch | | Season the salad with a pinch of ground black pepper.⏱ 5sResultSoaked bread and salted tomato half mixture |
| 23 | — | | Gently turn everything together with tongs so the bread soaks up the tomato juices, vinegar and oil without breaking up completely.⏱ 30sResultLoosely tossed salad |
| 24 | — | | Leave the salad to sit for at least 30 minutes so the bread becomes juicy and flavourful throughout.⏱ 30 minResultRested salad |
| Total Time | 47 min | ||
- Tear the basil leaves directly over the bowl, dropping them in with your hands.
- Turn the salad once more to fold the basil through evenly.
- Spoon the panzanella into a large serving bowl, making sure each portion gets plenty of bread, tomato and basil.
| Nutrient | Per serving |
|---|---|
| 419kcal | |
| 9g | |
| 21g | |
| 3g | |
| 51g | |
| 8g | |
| 4g | |
| 592mg |
Panzanella
Tuscan bread salad combining stale ciabatta with ripe tomatoes, red onion, cucumber and fresh basil in a simple vinaigrette.
What you’ll doYou will soak stale bread in water, pickle sliced onion in vinegar, and macerate salted tomatoes separately while they soften and release their juices. Then you'll combine the bread, cucumber, tomatoes with their juice, pickled onion, oil and seasonings, and let the salad rest for at least 30 minutes so the bread absorbs all the flavours. Finally you'll tear in fresh basil and turn everything together before serving.
Ingredients
- Stale ciabatta300 g
- Water200 ml
- Red onion1 piece
- Red wine vinegar30 ml
- Ripe tomatoes600 g
- Fine salt1 tsp
- Cucumber1 piece
- Extra-virgin olive oil80 ml
- Ground black pepper1 pinch
- Fresh basil leaves20 g