Panzanela

I found this recipe here. I can't wait to try it! I will triple it, I believe.

Panzanela

I like to use a combination of tomatoes for this dish. Our orange cherry tomatoes and yellow pear tomatoes faired the blight, so I used plenty of them. They added a vibrant color and compact sweetness.

Ingredients:

2 pounds ripe tomatoes, cored and cut into large chunks (or cut in half if using cherry tomatoes)
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 cup medium red onion, thinly sliced
1/2 cup fresh basil leaves, chopped
6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
3 cups thick, stale rustic bread, torn into bite-sized pieces (see note)
Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper

Method:

Place tomatoes, garlic, onion and basil in a large bowl.
Drizzle oil over mixture; season with salt and pepper.
Toss and let stand at room temperature, covered for about an hour.
Toss in bread cubes to coat thoroughly with the marinating liquid.
Let stand for 5 to 10 minutes, as you want the bread to start to soak up the liquid.
Salt and pepper to taste and serve.

Severs 4

Note: Traditionally, this dish is made with stale bread. I like to cut the bread into cubes and leave them out overnight. You can also grill or toast bread slices to get the same effect. Grilling the bread adds a delicious smoky flavor to the dish.