Authentic Tuscan Panzanella

It’s a sunny and hot summer in Chianti,  Tuscany , and at the end of the week we  may have leftover of Tuscan bread . Perfect ! we can prepare a Panzanella
This dish is a bread salad , popular in the Tuscan countryside in Summer months . It includes stale bread , flavourful tomatoes , red onion, basil , extra virgin olive oil, good red wine vinegar , salt and pepper.Sometimes it is considered a “leftover salad” and you can add other ingredients including cucumber, capers , hard boiled eggs, tuna, garlic , carrots , bell pepper

It’s possible to substitute basil with oregano

Panzanella  for 5 persons

8 slices stale bread

4 Ripe tomatoes sliced

10 leaves basil

1 Red onion

1 Cucumber

2 spoons Extra Virgin Olive oil

1 spoon Vinegar

Salt, Pepper

Leave the bread to soak in cold water for 15 minutes.  When it is soft, take some in your hands a little at a time and squeeze it well. Break it in pieces. Put the bread in a salad bowl and add the tomatoes, the onion and the basil leaves. Add Extra Virgin Olive Oil, salt and pepper. Stir everything well and put the bowl in the refrigerator.

When you are ready to serve the panzanella, add some vinegar.