Recession Proof Panzanella Salad

Don't throw out that stale bread, don't you know there is a recession going on?

Make a panzanella salad.

A gorgeous summer salad made with stale bread and tomatoes.
The bread will absorb the dressing and revive that petrified loaf of bread.

If I am making this for company and forget to buy the loaf of bread a few days prior, I cheat and toast up bread chunks and make croutons. It has the same effect as using stale bread.

Last night I had a 3 day old baguette that needed a saw to cut thru, but I did it.

I cut it into cubes and threw it together with chopped tomatoes.



This salad is best in the late summer when you can mix all the varieties of beautiful Jersey tomatoes that are in season, red, cherry, yellow, beefsteak, etc.



Panzanella Salad: serves 8

Dressing:

1/3 cup of balsamic vinegar
1/2 cup of good olive oil
1 garlic clove, minced
kosher salt & pepper

Salad:

1 stale baguette, ciabatta or bastone type of bread (the older the better!), torn or cut into chunks
2 lbs. plus of Roma, cherry or beefsteak tomatoes, cut into chunks
1/3 cup of basil leaves cut into chiffonade (rolled and sliced thin)
1/2 red onion, sliced thin
1/2 cup of kalamata olives, chopped

Mix your salad ingredients and place them in a large bowl.



Whisk your dressing and pour over the bread and tomato mixture until bread cubes absorb the dressing. You don't have to use all of the dressing, see how moist you like it.

Make at least one hour ahead and leave at room temperature, so flavors and dressing absorb the bread and tomatoes.



Enjoy!