Peach Panzanella

25 minutes total

Makes 4 - 6 servings

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The thrifty Italians don't let anything edible go to waste.

The classic Tuscan bread salad called panzanella was traditionally made with old, hard bread. It was soaked in water to soften, then squeezed to a soft pulp. But you get a better texture using fresh or slightly stale bread that's grilled or toasted, rubbed with garlic, and cut into bite-sized cubes.

Very old versions of panzanella were made with just bread, onions, olive oil, and vinegar, with fresh herbs added if they were available. But the Italians embraced the New World tomato quickly, and it’s been an ingredient in panzanella for the last few hundred years.

Like tomatoes, peaches are both sweet and acidic, and they make a very tasty version of panzanella.

What You'll Need

Ingredients

For the shopping list

1 red onion
4 slices crusty, country-style bread
4 peaches
1 bunch of fresh basil or mint
1 teaspoon of black pepper, freshly ground

From our shop

2 tablespoons of Trio Red Wine Vinegar
$15.00– Napa - California

Out of stock

4 tablespoons of Madre Terra
$25.00– Sicily - Italy

To taste Sea Salt Flakes
$16.00– Gossen Island - Norway

Equipment

From the kitchen

1 Chef Knife
1 Cutting Board
1 Mixing Bowl
Measuring Spoons

What you'll have to do

Step 1

Slice 1 red onion very thinly and soak it in 2 tablespoons of vinegar.

Step 2

Cut the bread into half-inch cubes, the 4 peaches into bite-sized pieces
(peeling optional). Tear or slice the basil leaves or mint into thin strips.

Step 3

Combine everything in a large bowl, add 4 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil, a pinch of salt (unlike Tuscan bread, ours will add some salt, so taste before adding), and 1 teaspoon of freshly ground black pepper.

This gets better if it sits for 20 minutes, and it's best served at room temperature.