Panzanella

Panzanella is a perfect dish for summer.

It is a food of the poor Tuscan cuisine. The origin probably comes from the peasants' use of soaking dry and old bread and adding it to the vegetables they found in the garden and the name might come from "Pane" (bread) and "Zanella", which means deep plate, soup tureen.

Ingredients for 6 people:

• gr.400 of stale homemade bread,
• 3 or 4 ripe tomatoes,
• 2 red onions (or 4 fresh spring onions),
• a cucumber,
• basil,
• red wine vinegar,
• extra-virgin olive oil,
• salt.

Preparation Panzanella's recipe

Cut the bread into slices and soak it in cold water for about 10 minutes. Then squeeze the slices very well, break them into crumbs and put them in a large bowl.

Add the seedless and sliced tomatoes, the thinly sliced onions and the peeled and sliced cucumber. Also add the basil leaves, season with salt and a little oil and turn everything gently.
Refrigerate and when ready to serve, season with vinegar and more oil.

(Recipe from "Toscana in tavola" of Paolo Petroni).