David Rocco’s Panzanella

Occasionally I change my focus from traditional Greek recipes to Italian ones. Here’s a classic example from one of my favorite Cooking Channel celebs: David Rocco’s Panzanella.
I made it with tomatoes and basil from my garden and an old loaf of multi-grain bread from the bakery. I promise you it is absolutely delicious.

Ingredients
8 slices cubed day old Tuscan-style or hearty bread (I used multi-grain bread)
10 sliced cherry tomatoes (as you can see I used more)
1 red onion (I used 4 thinly sliced scallions/spring onions)
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil (It might need a bit more depending on the bread)
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
4 fresh basil leaves (I definitely used more)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Submerge the slices of bread in a bowl of water. Use your hands to squeeze out all the water that the bread has absorbed. Break up the bread into small pieces and place into a large bowl.
Squeeze the cherry tomato juices into a small bowl before adding the tomato halves to the bread mixture. Add the scallions, olive oil, and red wine vinegar to the bowl. Roll up and chiffonade/slice the basil leaves and toss into the salad mixture. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Toss well. Let the salad rest in the refrigerator for a few hours for all the flavors to come together.
Kali Orexi! …or should I say Buon appetito! Enjoy!

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Kitoula

I'm Greek. This is my journal. It's all about food and family.

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